Genetic Variability and Phenotypic Stability in Coriander

India is recognized as the ¿Home of spices¿ in all over the world. Whenever we think about spices it immediately strikes our mind about the hot, pungent, aromatic and spicy Indian dishes and cuisine, which are now becoming increasingly popular in the western countries. From times immemorial spices were the most sought after trade item in Middle East and European countries. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an important seed spice crop belonging to the family Apiaceae (previously classified under the family Umbelliferae) with a diploid chromosome number 2n=22. It is an annual, erect, glabrous herb with lower leaves pinnate with sessile rounded leaflets having serrate margins and upper leaves are finally cut with linear lobes and are bi or tri-pinnate. The flowers are small, white or pink coloured and borne in compound umbel. The flowers are hermaphrodite and staminate. Fruits are a schizocarp, globular in shape, yellow- brown colour when ripe and ribbed. The fruits consist of two halves, the single seeded mericarps. The unripe fruits smell of bed bugs and thus character is responsible for determination of the name coriander from the Greek world ¿Koris¿ meaning bed bug.