TRIGONELLA, FENUGREEK, in botany: A genus of plants belonging to the class of diadelphia, and order of decandria; and in the natural system arranged under the 32d order, Papilionaceae. The vexillum and alæ are nearly equal and patent, resembling a tripetalous corolla. There are 12 species; of which the most remarkable is the sumungratum, or fenugreek, a native of Montpellier in France.
Fenugreek is an annual plant, which rises with a hollow, branching, herbaceous stalk, a foot and a half long, garnished with trifoliate leaves, placed alternately, whose lobes are oblong, oval, indented on their edges, and have broad furrowed footstalks.
Fenugreek feeds have a strong disagreeable smell, and an unctuous farinaceous taste accompanied with a slight bitterness. The principal use of these feeds is in cataplasms and fomentations, for softening, maturing, and dissolving tumors; and in emollient and carminative glysters. They are an ingredient in the oleum e mucilaginis of the shops, to which they communicate a considerable share of their smell.