Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Zoethout, Liquorice root, 光果甘草 Guangguogancao

Family: Fabaceae subfam. Faboideae (Pea or bean family)

Distribution: Middellandse Zeegebied tot ZW.-Azië

Life form: Perennial

Comments: Used against coughs, increases blood pressure. Liquorice originally comes from the Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. However, the tasty root was already a valued thirst quencher in Roman times and that is how liquorice spread throughout the world.