Intraspecific taxonomy of Coriandrum sativum L.: comparison of morphological and phytochemical data

Coriandrum sativum L., Apiaceae (Coriander) is a major spice plant of the Indian sub-continent. Leaves, seeds and essential oils prepared from leaves and seeds are all used as spice material, the leaves also as vegetables. The species has a wide range of distribution and a formal taxonomic classification into three subspecies with ten botanical varieties. A complete morphological description is required to characterize the accessions and to evaluate the botanical classification. In addition, the analysis of the essential oil content is helpful for chemotaxonomic studies. Molecular studies with Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) are planned to verify the taxonomy of the subspecies and the varieties.