On Thu, 8 Sep 2005, BinaryBill wrote:

Dominic
FYI Cilantro is spanish for coriander, they are the same plant


Not sure yet. I thought I had this figured out, but maybe
not.

Cilantro is by some accounts Coriandrum sativum, and the latin
scientific name is definitely koriander that is believed to have
originated in the Mediterranean. By other accounts, Cilantro,
also spelled "Culantro" is Eryngium foetidum, an entirely different
plant looking nothing like koriander that is indigenous to the West
Indies that tastes like koriander and is commonly used in Central
American cooking. This plant is not thought to have originated in the
Mediterranean and is indigenous to Central America. The common
Mexican terminology for Eryngium foetidum is apparently "Cilantro
extranjero", or simply "Cilantro". I was recently at a BBQ with some
native American indians from Central America and when I mentioned
Cilantro or Culantro, they seemed to clearly recognize I did not
mean koriander and clearly understood that Eryngium foetidum was
Cilantro which was same as "Cilantro extranjero". They pointed me
to a local grocer of columbian decent that sold large bags of
Eryngium foetidum seeds.

I would be very greatful if there is an academic here with good working
knowledge of plant systematics who could clarify this discrepancy.

Dominic