Vegetable

Foeniculum vulgare

B tier

Foeniculum vulgare is the botanical umbrella for culinary fennel—bulb Florence types, tall herb fennel, and bronze foliage forms. All share anethole-sweet liquorice perfume in leaf, seed, and (when present) swollen leaf bases. The species name on a label simply marks true fennel rather than anise or dill lookalikes. Kitchen behaviour depends on the cultivar group: herb fronds for fish and salads, seeds for sausage and rye bread, bulbs for roasting and raw shave. Use the binomial when discussing the crop; pick Florence, bronze, or seed types when texture matters on the board.