Family: Zingiberaceae
Synonym: Cardamomum subulatum (Roxb.) Kuntze
Common name: Black Cardamom, hill cardamom, Bengal cardamom, greater cardamom, Indian cardamom, Nepal cardamom, winged cardamom, brown cardamom Azarbizanica: Bizvari hil
Bengali: Boro alach Chinese: 香豆蔻
Czech: Nepálský kardamom
Experanto: Amomo
German: Schwarzer Kardamom
Gujarati: એલચો
Hindi: बड़ी इलायची Badi ilaichi
Kashmiri: Bari aleh بڑہ ألہ
Malayalam: പേരേലം
Nepali: अलैंची, ठूलो सुकुमेल Alaichi, Thulo sukumel
Norwegian: Svart kardemomme
Persian: هل سیاه
Tibetian: ཀ་ཀོ་ལ།
Urdu: Bari elaichi الائچی پوربی
Vietnamese: Đậu khấu thơm
Description: Plants 1--2 m tall. Ligule 3--4 mm, membranous, apex rounded, emarginate; petiole absent or nearly so on proximal leaves, 1--3 cm on distal ones; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate, 25--60 × 3.5--11 cm, glabrous, base rounded or cuneate, apex long cuspidate. Spikes subturbinate, ca. 5 cm in diam.; peduncle 0.5--4.5 cm, scalelike sheaths brown; bracts pale red, ovate, ca. 3 cm, apex obtuse with horny cusp; bracteoles tubular, ca. 3 cm, apex acute, emarginate. Calyx glabrous, 3-cleft to middle; lobes subulate. Corolla tube equaling calyx; lobes yellow, central one subulate at apex. Lateral staminodes red, subulate, ca. 2 mm. Labellum with yellow midvein, oblong, ca. 3 cm, white pubescent, veins conspicuous, apex involute. Filament ca. 5 mm; anther ca. 1 cm; connective appendage elliptic, entire, ca. 4 mm. Capsule purple or red-brown, globose, 2--2.5 cm in diam., with 10 undulate wings, apex with persistent calyx. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Jun--Sep. 2 n = 48.
Used in Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha. Seeds astringent, aromatic, hypnotic, cardiotonic, blood purifier, carminative, diuretic, aphrodisiac, stimulant, stomachic, used in neuralgia, gonorrhea, anorexia, eye inflammation, fever, cold, chill, malaria, neuralgia, diarrhea, gonorrhea, headache, impotence, dyspepsia, vomiting, antidote to scorpion sting and snakebite, a gargle in affections of the teeth and gums; fried powdered seeds given with water in cholera; seeds decoction given in abdominal pain and in heart and liver disorders; powdered seeds used in cough, vomiting, rectum diseases. Crushed fruit applied over the area affected by a scorpion bite, also given to eat. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
The Wealth of India says that the seeds are used for spice and medicine, much as those of A. subulatum. Indeed, they are so alike that Hager’s Handbook (1972) treats them under the same entry. I’m inclined to do the same thing here in this spice book, knowing how difficult members of the ginger family are to separate taxonomically. Ayurvedics use the pungent seeds for abdominal pains, biliousness, enlarged spleen, indigestion, itch, and other ailments of the head, mouth, and rectum (KAB). The herbal PDR notes that TCM uses the species for diarrhea, digestive upsets, malaria, and vomiting. The seeds are credited as being alexeteric, astringent, stimulant, and stomachic, having been prescribed for abdominal diseases, biliousness, dyspepsia, rectal diseases, and vomiting. In large doses (30 grains), the seeds are taken with quinine for neuralgia. The seed decoction is gargled for gum and tooth problems. The seeds, with those of melon, are used as diuretics in kidney stones (WOI). Seeds promote elimination of bile, hence useful in liver problems. Seeds also used in gonorrhea (WOI). Unani regard the seeds as astringent, cardiotonic, hepatotonic, hypnotic, orexigenic and stomachic (KAB). The husk of the fruit (pericarp) is used for headache and “heals stomatitis” (WOI). While I’d be reluctant myself, Indians apply the aromatic oil from the seeds to their eyes to soothe inflammation. [CRC Handbook of Medicinal Spices]
Used in Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha. Seeds astringent, aromatic, hypnotic, cardiotonic, blood purifier, carminative, diuretic, aphrodisiac, stimulant, stomachic, used in neuralgia, gonorrhea, anorexia, eye inflammation, fever, cold, chill, malaria, neuralgia, diarrhea, gonorrhea, headache, impotence, dyspepsia, vomiting, antidote to scorpion sting and snakebite, a gargle in affections of the teeth and gums; fried powdered seeds given with water in cholera; seeds decoction given in abdominal pain and in heart and liver disorders; powdered seeds used in cough, vomiting, rectum diseases. Crushed fruit applied over the area affected by a scorpion bite, also given to eat. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
The Wealth of India says that the seeds are used for spice and medicine, much as those of A. subulatum. Indeed, they are so alike that Hager’s Handbook (1972) treats them under the same entry. I’m inclined to do the same thing here in this spice book, knowing how difficult members of the ginger family are to separate taxonomically. Ayurvedics use the pungent seeds for abdominal pains, biliousness, enlarged spleen, indigestion, itch, and other ailments of the head, mouth, and rectum (KAB). The herbal PDR notes that TCM uses the species for diarrhea, digestive upsets, malaria, and vomiting. The seeds are credited as being alexeteric, astringent, stimulant, and stomachic, having been prescribed for abdominal diseases, biliousness, dyspepsia, rectal diseases, and vomiting. In large doses (30 grains), the seeds are taken with quinine for neuralgia. The seed decoction is gargled for gum and tooth problems. The seeds, with those of melon, are used as diuretics in kidney stones (WOI). Seeds promote elimination of bile, hence useful in liver problems. Seeds also used in gonorrhea (WOI). Unani regard the seeds as astringent, cardiotonic, hepatotonic, hypnotic, orexigenic and stomachic (KAB). The husk of the fruit (pericarp) is used for headache and “heals stomatitis” (WOI). While I’d be reluctant myself, Indians apply the aromatic oil from the seeds to their eyes to soothe inflammation. [CRC Handbook of Medicinal Spices]
88 Published articles of Amomum subulatum
