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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Elettaria cardamomum'' (PROSEA)}}
[[File:Elettaria cardamomum PROSEA linedrawing.png|thumb|1, habit fruiting clump; 2, leaf; 3, part of inflorescence; 4, flower; 5, fruits; 6, seed with aril]]
<big>''[[Elettaria cardamomum]]'' (L.) Maton</big>
__NOTOC__
:Protologue: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 10: 254, t. 5 (1811).
The dried fruit of cardamom contains an essential oil, fixed (fatty) oil, pigments, protein, cellulose, pentosans, sugars, starch, silica, calcium oxalate and minerals. The approximate composition of dried fruits per 100 g is water 20 g, protein 10 g, fat 2 g, carbohydrates 42 g, fibre 20 g, ash 6 g. The major constituent of the seeds is starch (up to 50%) while in the capsule (husk) it is crude fibre (up to 31%). Whole cardamom fruits usually have an essential-oil content of 3.5-7%. The essential oil is located predominantly in the seeds which comprise 59-79% of the whole dried fruit weight. The seeds of freshly harvested cardamom may contain as much as 11% essential oil, but the husk rarely contains more than 1%. Cardamom oil is best obtained by steam distillation of freshly decorticated seed. It is a colourless or pale yellow oil which darkens on exposure to light. The essential oil comprises mainly 1,8-cineole (20-60%) and α-terpinyl acetate (20-53%) together with smaller amounts of other oxygenated monoterpenes, monoterpene hydrocarbons and sesquiterpenes. This oil gives cardamom the pleasant aroma and the characteristic warm, slightly pungent taste. A monograph on the physiological properties of cardamom oil has been published by the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM).
The fatty oil content of the fruit has been reported to range from 1-10%; the oil is predominantly located in the seed. Ten fatty acids have been identified, with the major constituents being palmitic (28--38%), oleic (43-44%) and linoleic acid (2-16%). The relative abundance of the fatty acids apparently differs according to the cultivar grown, because high stearic acid contents (18-38%) have also been reported.
The 1000-seed weight is about 20-25 g.
== Composition ==
'''Cardamom oil (from India)''' (Source: Gopalakrishnan, 1994)
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
* 38.8% 1,8-cineole
* 24.6% α-terpinyl acetate
* 6.2% β-pinene
* 5.7% linalool
* 4.2% sabinene
* 4.0% limonene
* 3.4% α-terpineol
* 2.3% α-pinene
* 2.0% terpinen-4-ol
* 1.0% linalyl acetate
* 0.8% geranyl acetate
* 0.2% geraniol
* trace nerolidol (unknown isomer)
* 93.2% total
</div>
'''Cardamom oil (from India)''' (Source: Variyar & Bandyopadhyay, 1995)
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
* 49.0% α-terpinyl acetate
* 24.7% 1,8-cineole
* 5.8% linalool
* 4.6% linalyl acetate
* 2.7% α-terpineol
* 2.5% geraniol
* 1.9% terpinen-4-ol
* 1.4% sabinene
* 1.2% myrcene
* 1.2% nerolidol (unknown isomer)
* 0.9% limonene
* 0.9% nerol
* 0.4% β-caryophyllene
* 0.4% α-pinene
* 97.6% total
</div>
==Adulterations and substitutes==
The cardamom substitutes ("false” false" cardamoms) that sometimes appear in trade and may be confused with true cardamom are derived mainly from species of ''Amomum'' and ''Aframomum'' K. Schumann. The most important one in Indonesia is round cardamom (''Amomum compactum'' Soland. ex Maton). Other species labelled and used as "false” cardamoms in South-East Asia (see Chapter on "Minor spices” and "Spice plants with other primary use”) include ''Amomum acre'' Valeton, ''A. krervanh'' Pierre ex Gagnepain, ''A. ochreum'' Ridley, ''A. testaceum'' Ridley, ''A. uliginosum'' J.G. König ex Retz., ''A. xanthioides'' Wallich ex Baker and ''A. xanthophlebium'' Baker. The "false” cardamoms found outside South-East Asia include ''Amomum aromaticum'' Roxb. and ''A. subulatum'' Roxb. (Eastern Himalayas), ''Alpinia globosa'' Horan. (Indo-China and China), ''Aframomum corrorima'' (Braun) Jansen (Ethiopia), ''A. daniellii'' K. Schumann (Cameroon) and ''A. melegueta'' (Roscoe) K. Schumann (West Africa).
Cardamom oil is sometimes adulterated with 1,8-cineole and α-terpinyl acetate from cheaper sources.
==Ecology==
Evergreen montane forest land supplies the most favourable environment for cardamom, with soils varying from deep forest loam to white quartz gravel with only a shallow zone of humus accumulation. Cardamom is a plant of the early succession stage and appears in natural or man-made forest clearings but is not found in forests with an undisturbed canopy. On sloping land it may grow well in pockets of soil among boulders. In the main production areas in southern India and Sri Lanka, cardamom is grown at altitudes of 600-1500 m. A uniformly distributed rainfall of 2500-3800 mm per year is considered optimal. The tolerable range extends from 1500-5800 mm; months with less than 125 mm rainfall have to be regarded as drought months. Drought periods during the formation of the inflorescence or during flowering will preclude seed production and cannot be overcome by sufficient precipitation at a later stage. Successive droughts in two or more years endanger the plant as a whole. Optimum annual mean temperatures are considered to be around 22°C22 °C. The diurnal temperature may vary between 10°C 10 °C and 35°C35 °C. In the lowlands (annual mean temperatures > 24°C24 °C) cardamom only propagates vegetatively; the plants do not grow where annual mean temperatures are < 17°C.
Cardamom does not tolerate prolonged exposure to direct sunlight; about 50% is thought to be optimal. Strong winds may topple cardamom plants as their root system is weak. Desiccation by dry winds is a serious threat, especially to young seedlings, but may also affect adult plants.
* Shankaracharya, N.B. & Natarajan, C.P., 1971. Cardamom: chemistry, technology and uses. Indian Food Packer 25: 28-36.
* Suratman, Djauhariya, E. & Sudiarto, 1987. Plasma nutfah kapulaga [Cardamom germplasm]. Edisi Khusus Penelitian Tanaman Rempah dan Obat 3(1): 64-69.
== Sources of illustrations ==
Koorders, S.H., 1913. Exkursionsflora von Java [Excursion flora of Java]. Vol. 4. Atlas. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, Germany. Fig. 566, p. 320 (leaf); Schumann, K., 1904. Zingiberaceae. In: Engler, A. (Editor): Das Pflanzenreich [The plant kingdom]. Vol. 4, Fam. 46. W. Engelmann, Leipzig, Germany. Fig. 33, p. 268 (inflorescence, flower, fruits, seed with aril); Lewis, Y.S., 1984. Spices and herbs for the food industry. Food Trade Press, Orpington, United Kingdom. Photograph, p. 48 (habit fruiting clump). Redrawn and adapted by P. Verheij-Hayes.
== Authors ==
*T.H. Wardini & A. Thomas
[[Category:Spices (PROSEA)]]
[[Category:PROSEA]]