Apiaceae
Cuminum

Cuminum cyminum L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 254 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Iraq to Afghanistan. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome. It is used as a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Short erect annual 15–20(–30) cm, rather bushy with ascending branches from near base upwards
Morphology Leaves
Leaves all similar, only the lowest shortly petiolate, most sessile on short, narrow sheaths, ± biternate into long filiform segments (to 4 cm or more in lowest leaves)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles 1.5–5 cm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels many, leaf-opposed, 3–6-rayed, rays 0.5–1 cm, equalled or exceeded by 3–6 bracts of the involucre Partial umbels few- (2–6) flowered, flowers magenta, ± 2 mm in diameter; fruiting pedicels 2–6 mm, exceeded by the 3 or 4 bracteoles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 4–6 × 2 mm, styles short, rigid, divergent, often reddish.
Ecology
In a silty desert depression, roadsides and waste places on the plains; alt. up to 600 m or more
Phenology
Flowering and fruiting: Mar.–Jun.
Distribution
Occasional in the desert region of Iraq, particularly on the alluvial plain. SE & Mediterranean Europe, Cyprus, Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Afghanistan, C Asia (Turkmenistan), N Africa (Morocco, Libya). Widely cultivated also on a small scale within this region as well as in NW India, China (Xinjiang), N America, S America (Chile) and elsewhere.
Note
Cumin, sometimes also spelled Cummin; KAMMŪN (Ar., Ir., Eg. etc.).
[FIQ]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
comino
[UNAL]

Vernacular
Comino, Planta de cominos
[UPFC]

Uses

Use
The fruits of this plant, generally called Cumin Seed, are a well-known condiment used for flavouring since antiquity. Uphof (1968) sums up its medicinal properties in home remedies as antispasmodic, antihysteric and stomachic. It is a common ingredient in curry powders, cordials and is also used in Leiden cheese. Seeds contain over 7% of essential oil (Schischkin 1950), which is used in perfumery. A second species of this genus, C. setifolium (Boiss.) K.-Pol. [Psammogeton setifolius (Boiss.) Boiss.] has been found at station T.4, on the Syrian section of the Kirkuk-Homs-Banias oil pipeline, and might occur in adjacent Iraq. It can easily be distinguished from C. cyminum by the long (5 mm or more) setose hairs on the secondary ridges of the fruit.
[FIQ]

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Gene Sources
Used as gene sources.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Cumin

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0