The present seven kinds first appeared in "Kakai-sho Commentary" (commentary on "Tale of Genji" by Yoshinari YOTSUTSUJI, written in around 1362), which stated 'Japanese parsley, shepherd's purse, gogyo, hakubera, henbit, suzuna and suzushiro, and those are the very seven kinds.'
現在の7種は、1362年頃に書かれた『河海抄（かかいしょう、四辻善成による『源氏物語』の注釈書）』の「芹、なづな、御行、はくべら、仏座、すずな、すずしろ、これぞ七種」が初見とされる。