Oenanthe javanica

Oenanthe javanica, Java waterdropwort,Japanese parsley or Chinese celery, is a plant of the water dropwort genus originating from East Asia. (Chinese celery is also the name given to Apium graveolens var. secalinum). It has a widespread native distribution in temperate Asia and tropical Asia, and is also native to Queensland, Australia.

While many other species of water dropwort are extremely toxic, Oenanthe javanica is edible, and is cultivated in China, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand (ผักชีล้อม), Taiwan, and Vietnam, as well as in Italy, where its spring growths (called seri セリ in Japanese, minari 미나리 in Korean) are relished as a vegetable. It is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish consumed in the Japanese spring-time festival, Nanakusa-no-sekku.

It is commonly consumed in the Northeast Indian State of Manipur, where it is called komprek in Meithei. It is one of the main ingredients in Manipuri Eromba and Singju.

This plant should not be confused with the plants of the genus Cryptotaenia, sometimes called "Japanese wild parsley" (mitsuba in Japanese).