a fetid gum resin, obtained by exudation from the roots of at least two species of umbelliferous plants, Ferula Assafetida and F. Persica. The best comes from Persia and Herat. Another locality has lately been assigned on the northern slope of the Himalayas in Sylistan. That produced in Northern Persia from F. Persica, is inferior in quality to that of Eastern Persia. See BOTANY.