Illicium verum, Star Anise

Star Anise is native to northeast Vietnam and southwest China. It's grown, on medium sized evergreen trees, throughout East and South East Asia. The highly distinctive liquorice flavour is dominated by a substance caused anethole, which is also present in the more expensive Anise. In the West it's often used as a substitute for Anise in  baking and in liqueurs, particularly in Galliano.

As a primary ingredient of Chinese Five Spice it's an essential part of Chinese cuisine, indeed the Chinese themselves often prefer it to dominate the blend, while the more familiar flavour found in Chinese Restaurants has it in smaller quantities. It's also a well used ingredient in India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Healthwise star anise has a number of interesting properties. Drunk as a tea after meals it's thought to aid digestion, there is some evidence that it has anti-bacterial properties and it's a major source of shikimic acid which is used in the production of drugs to prevent influenza.