Glycyrrhiza is a genus of about 18 accepted species in the legume family (Fabaceae), with a subcosmopolitan distribution in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. The genus is best known for liquorice (British English; licorice in American English), G. glabra, a species native to the Mediterranean region, from which the confectionery liquorice is produced. Very little G. glabra is grown in North America, but American Licorice G. lepidota is a common native species there. Russian Liquorice (G. echinata) and Chinese Liquorice (G. uralensis; Chinese: 甘草; pinyin: gāncǎo) are also cultivated, the latter being important in traditional Chinese medicine. Also known by following names in these languages: Hindi – mulethi, Sanskrit – yastimadhu, Gujarati name – jethimadh, Marathi name - Jeshthama