| 1. | Also called Chinese anise. a shrub or small tree, Illicium verum, of China, having white flowers that turn purple and bearing anise-scented, star-shaped clusters of carminative fruit. |
| 2. | the fruit of this tree or shrub, used as a spice. |
| Chinese anise n. An evergreen tree (Illicium anisatum), native to Japan and Korea and having aromatic leaves and fragrant white or yellow flowers. |