| Amomum | |
|---|---|
| Amomum magnificum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genus: | Amomum Roxb. |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
Amomum is a genus of plant, including several types of Cardamom, especially Black Cardamom. Plants of this genus are remarkable for their pungency and aromatic properties.
Among ancient writers, the name amomum was ascribed to various odoriferous plants that cannot be positively identified today. The word derives from Latin amomum,[1] which is the latinisation of the Greek ἄμωμον (amomon), a kind of an Indian spice plant.[2]
See List of Amomum species for a complete list.