ANGELICA

large genus of aromatic herbs of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). The roots and fruit of the Eurasian species, Angelica archangelica , yield angelica oil used to flavour liqueurs and in perfumery, while the tender shoots are used in making certain kinds of aromatic sweetmeats; tea made from the roots and leaves is a traditional medicine for respiratory ailments. In the Faroe Islands and in Iceland, where the plant grows abundantly, it is considered a vegetable. The British species, A. sylvestris, is a tall perennial herb with large bipinnate leaves and large compound umbels of white or purple flowers. The common name alexanders is applied to A. atropurpurea in the United States. sweet, fortified dessert wine said to have originated near Los Angeles, for which it is named. Angelica is one of the oldest California wines; it was probably originally made from the mission grape, a European variety brought to California in the 18th century by Spanish padres. Early versions of angelica were occasionally extraordinary; some that survived from the 1870s remained superb more than a century later.