Amomum

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title: "Amomum" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["amomum", "zingiberaceae-genera"] description: "Genus of flowering plants" topic_path: "general/amomum" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amomum" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of flowering plants ::

|image = Black cardamom flower.jpg |image_caption = Amomum subulatum (black cardamom) |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Amomum |authority = Roxb. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See list of Amomum species |synonyms_ref = |synonyms =

• Acinax Raf.
• Cardamomum Rumph. ex Kuntze
• Elettariopsis Baker
• Geocallis Horan.
• Paramomum S.Q.Tong
• Torymenes Salisb.

Amomum is a genus of plants containing about 111 species native to China, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland. It includes several species of 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,amomum, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus Digital Library which is the latinisation of the Greek ἄμωμον (amomon), a kind of an Indian spice plant. Edmund Roberts noted on his 1834 trip to China that amomum was used as a spice to "season sweet dishes" in culinary practice.

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
• Amomum costatum – now Hornstedtia costata
• Amomum dallachyi – now Meistera dallachyi
• Amomum elegans – now Wurfbainia elegans
• Amomum ensal – now Elettaria cardamomum
• Amomum epiphyticum – now Epiamomum epiphyticum
• Amomum filiforme – now Hedychium coronarium
• Amomum melegueta – now Aframomum melegueta
• Amomum mioga – now Zingiber mioga
• Amomum ovoideum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa
• Amomum pulchellum – now Cyphostigma pulchellum
• Amomum repens – now Renealmia alpinia
• Amomum robustum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa
• Amomum tsao-ko – now Lanxangia tsaoko
• Amomum uliginosum – now Wurfbainia uliginosa
• Amomum uncinatum – now Elettaria cardamomum
• Amomum villosum – now Wurfbainia villosa
• Amomum zambesiacum – now Aframomum zambesiacum

References

References

1. [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=101395 Flora of China v 24 p 347, 豆蔻属 dou kou shu, ''Amomum'' Roxburgh, Pl. Coromandel. 3: 75. 1820. ]
2. Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 1-529. MIM, Deurne.
3. Lamxay, V. & Newman, M.F. (2012). A revision of ''Amomum'' (Zingiberaceae) in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 69: 99-206.
4. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Da%29%2Fmwmon ἄμωμον], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus Digital Library
5. Roberts, Edmund. (1837). "Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat". Harper & Brothers.
6. (2024). "''Amomum'' Roxb.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
7. (2024). "''Amomum compactum'' Sol. ex Maton". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
8. (2024). "''Amomum costatum'' (Roxb.) Benth. ex Baker". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
9. (2024). "''Amomum dallachyi'' F.Muell.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
10. (2024). "''Amomum epiphyticum'' R.M.Sm.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
11. (2024). "''Amomum filiforme'' W.Hunter". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
12. (2024). "''Amomum pulchellum'' Thwaites". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
13. (2024). "''Amomum tsao-ko'' Crevost & Lemarié". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
14. (2024). "''Amomum ensal'' Raeusch.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
15. (2024). "''Amomum uncinatum'' Stokes". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
16. (2024). "''Amomum mioga'' Thunb.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
17. (2024). "''Amomum melegueta'' Roscoe". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
18. (2024). "''Amomum zambesiacum'' Baker". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
19. (2024). "''Amomum elegans'' Ridl.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
20. (2024). "''Amomum uliginosum'' J.Koenig". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
21. (2024). "''Amomum robustum'' K.Schum.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
22. (2024). "''Amomum ovoideum'' Pierre ex Gagnep.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
23. (2024). "''Amomum villosum'' Lour.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].
24. (2024). "''Amomum repens'' Lam.". [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]].

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