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Cuminum cyminum L.

Cumin (en), Faux anis (fr), Cumin (fr), Cumin commun (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Apiales > Apiaceae > Cuminum

Characteristics

Annual. Stems 15-50 cm, erect, strongly divergently branched from the base, terete, striate, entirely glabrous. Leaves short-petioled or sessile on a sheath to 1 by ½ cm with membranaceous white margins, auriculate at the apex or tapering into the petiole; lamina 3-10 cm, bipinnate, segments to 1½ mm broad, linear. Compound umbels opposite to the leaves or terminal; peduncles 2-4 cm; rays 4-6, 1-1½ cm; pedicels 3-7, 4-5 mm; involucres 3-5, 2-3½ cm, tripartite or twice tripartite, segments filiform, sessile on a ½ mm long sheath with membranaceous white margins; involucels 2-4, to 9 mm, margin white-membranaceous. Calyx teeth 1-1½ mm, linear to subulate, persistent. Petals nearly 1 by ½ mm, white to reddish, obcordate with inflexed tips. Mericarps 5-7 by nearly 3 mm, somewhat laterally flattened, main ribs filiform, bristly, ridges with a stellate-hairy line.
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Plants 10–30(–50) cm. Basal petioles 1–2 cm, sheaths lanceolate, margins white and membranous; blade 3–8 × 2–7 cm; ultimate divisions long-filiform, 15–60 × 0.4–0.7 mm. Umbels many, 2–3 cm across; peduncles 3–10 cm; bracts 2–6(–8), linear or linear-lanceolate, 10–50 × 0.5–1.2 mm, unequal, entire or apex 2–3-fid, usually longer than the rays, margins membranous; rays (1–)3–6, 3–20 mm, rather stout, very unequal; bracteoles 3–5, similar to bracts, 4–10 × 0.3–0.6 mm, very unequal, sometimes reflexed; umbellules 3–8-flowered; pedicels 3–6 mm, stout, very unequal. Calyx teeth 0.5–2 mm, longer than the styles. Petals ca. 1.4 × 1 mm. Fruit 5–7 × 1.6–2.8 mm; primary ribs short setulose, secondary ribs densely stellate setulose. Fl. and fr. Feb–Jun(–Sep).
A slender annual herb. It grows about 30-60 cm high. It spreads 30 cm wide. The stems are angular. The lower leaves have stalks and the upper leaves do not. The leaves are like fronds. They are divided into long narrow segments. The leaves are 10 cm long. The flowers are white. They occur in a compound umbel. The fruit is like a cylinder and has ridges. It is 4-5 mm long. It tapers at the ends and is only slightly curved.
Life form annual
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.25 - 0.4
Mature height (meter) 0.25 - 0.3
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 1.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

A warm temperate to tropical plant. It suits hot climates. In Nepal it grows up to 400 m altitude. It needs full sun. It needs fertile, well-drained soils. It needs 3-4 warm months to ripen the seed. It suits hardiness zones 8-12.
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Not known in a truly wild condition.
Not known in a truly wild condition.
Light 6-8
Soil humidity 2-6
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity 3-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-11

Usage

The fruitlets are used as a spice. They are used whole or ground. They are common in curries and meat dishes. They are also used to flavour cheese, cakes and liqueurs. The oil is used to flavour sauces and sausages.
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Uses. Oil distilled from the seeds for making liqueurs; seeds for seasoning curries; medicinal externally and internally as stomachic and astringent.
Uses environmental use essential oil food gene source gum material medicinal oil seasoning spice
Edible seeds stems
Therapeutic use Abdominal pain (fruit), Anthelmintics (fruit), Anti-bacterial agents (fruit), Antifungal agents (fruit), Anti-infective agents, local (fruit), Antinematodal agents (fruit), Antineoplastic agents (fruit), Antitubercular agents (fruit), Antiviral agents (fruit), Aphrodisiacs (fruit), Appetite stimulants (fruit), Astringents (fruit), Bronchitis (fruit), Colic (fruit), Diarrhea (fruit), Diuretics (fruit), Dysentery (fruit), Dyspepsia (fruit), Eye diseases (fruit), Flatulence (fruit), Galactogogues (fruit), Gonorrhea (fruit), Helminthiasis (fruit), Hypoglycemic agents (fruit), Insecticides (fruit), Leprosy (fruit), Orchitis (fruit), Parasympatholytics (fruit), General tonic for rejuvenation (fruit), Scorpion stings (fruit), Skin diseases (fruit), Veterinary medicine (fruit), Cooling effect on body (fruit), Abdominal pain (seed), Abortifacient agents (seed), Immunostimulant (seed), Anti-bacterial agents (seed), Antifungal agents (seed), Anti-infective agents (seed), Antioxidants (seed), Aphrodisiacs (seed), Cholinergic agents (seed), Cholinergic antagonists (seed), Common cold (seed), Contraceptive agents (seed), Digestive system diseases (seed), Galactogogues (seed), Hypercholesterolemia (seed), Hypertension (seed), Labor pain (seed), Malaria (seed), Snake bites (seed), Urination disorders (seed), Vomiting (seed), Unspecified (unspecified), Antispasmodic (unspecified), Carminative (unspecified), Dermatosis (unspecified), Dyspepsia (unspecified), Emmenagogue (unspecified), Enterosis (unspecified), Lactogogue (unspecified), Liqueur (unspecified), Spasm (unspecified), Stimulant (unspecified), Stomachic (unspecified), Sudorific (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified), Tumor (unspecified), Tumor(Abdomen) (unspecified), Whitlow (unspecified), Ache(Stomach) (unspecified), Diarrhea (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Digestive (unspecified), Hysteria (unspecified), Puerperium (unspecified), Analgesics (unspecified), Anorexia (unspecified), Anthelmintics (unspecified), Anti-infective agents, local (unspecified), Anti-inflammatory agents (unspecified), Antineoplastic agents (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Antirheumatic agents (unspecified), Appetite stimulants (unspecified), Asthenia (unspecified), Asthma (unspecified), Astringents (unspecified), Bronchitis (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Diuretics (unspecified), Dysentery (unspecified), Eczema (unspecified), Eye diseases (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Flatulence (unspecified), Galactogogues (unspecified), Gastritis (unspecified), Gonorrhea (unspecified), Graves ophthalmopathy (unspecified), Helminthiasis (unspecified), Hemorrhage (unspecified), Hiccup (unspecified), Hoarseness (unspecified), Kidney calculi (unspecified), Lactation disorders (unspecified), Leprosy (unspecified), Leukorrhea (unspecified), Malaria (unspecified), Menstruation-inducing agents (unspecified), Oxytocics (unspecified), Pain (unspecified), Scorpion stings (unspecified), Skin diseases (unspecified), Snake bites (unspecified), Ulcer (unspecified), Urinary bladder calculi (unspecified), Urination disorders (unspecified), Vitiligo (unspecified), Vomiting (unspecified), Anti-infective agents (whole plant)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. They can be transplanted.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) 7 - 14
Germination temperacture (C°) 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) 17 - 26
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Cuminum cyminum unspecified picture

Distribution

Cuminum cyminum world distribution map, present in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Bhutan, China, Algeria, Spain, France, India, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Morocco, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tunisia, United States of America, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:840882-1
WFO ID wfo-0000629277
COL ID 6C25L
BDTFX ID 20246
INPN ID 93564
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Luerssenia cyminum Ligusticum cuminum Cuminum cyminum Cuminum hispanicum Cuminum odorum Cuminum officinale Cuminum sativum Cyminon longeinvolucellatum Selinum cuminum Cuminia cyminum Cuminum aegyptiacum
WorldFloraDB 2024