FENUGREEK, in botany, Trigonella Foenum-graecum (so called from the name given to it by the ancients, who used it as fodder for cattle), a leguminous herb similar in habit and in most characters to species of Medicago. The leaves are formed of three obovate leaflets, the middle one of which is stalked; the flowers are solitary, or in clusters of two or three, and have a campanulate, 5-cleft calyx. The pods are many-seeded, cylindrical or flat tened, and straight or only slightly curved. Fenugreek is in digenous to south-eastern Europe and western Asia, and is cul tivated in the Mediterranean region, parts of central Europe, in Morocco, and largely in Egypt and in India. It bears a sickle shaped pod, containing from io to 20 seeds, from which 6% of a foetid, fatty and bitter oil can be extracted by ether. In India the fresh plant is employed as an esculent. The seed is an ingredient in curry powders, and is used for flavouring cattle foods.