Amomum
Genus of flowering plants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amomum is a genus of plants containing about 111 species native to China, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland.[1][2] It includes several species of cardamom. Plants of this genus are remarkable for their pungency and aromatic properties.[3][4]
| Amomum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Amomum subulatum (black cardamom) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Subfamily: | Alpinioideae |
| Tribe: | Alpinieae |
| Genus: | Amomum Roxb. |
| Species | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Among ancient writers, the name amomum was ascribed to various odoriferous plants that cannot be positively identified today. The word derives from Latin amomum,[5] which is the latinisation of the Greek ἄμωμον (amomon), a kind of an Indian spice plant.[6] Edmund Roberts noted on his 1834 trip to China that amomum was used as a spice to "season sweet dishes" in culinary practice.[7]
Selected species
See list of Amomum species for a complete list.
The following have further information:
- Amomum exertum
- Amomum smithiae
- Amomum subulatum (black cardamom) - type species
Formerly placed here
- Amomum compactum – now Wurfbainia compacta[8]
- Amomum costatum – now Hornstedtia costata[9]
- Amomum dallachyi – now Meistera dallachyi[10]
- Amomum elegans – now Wurfbainia elegans[11]
- Amomum ensal – now Elettaria cardamomum[12]
- Amomum epiphyticum – now Epiamomum epiphyticum[13]
- Amomum filiforme – now Hedychium coronarium[14]
- Amomum melegueta – now Aframomum melegueta[15]
- Amomum mioga – now Zingiber mioga[16]
- Amomum ovoideum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa[17]
- Amomum pulchellum – now Cyphostigma pulchellum[18]
- Amomum repens – now Renealmia alpinia[19]
- Amomum robustum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa[20]
- Amomum tsao-ko – now Lanxangia tsaoko[21]
- Amomum uliginosum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa[22]
- Amomum uncinatum – now Elettaria cardamomum[23]
- Amomum villosum – now Wurfbainia villosa[24]
- Amomum zambesiacum – now Aframomum zambesiacum[25]
