Ethiopian Cardamom
Aframomum corrorima (A.Braun) P.C.M.Jansen
Aframomum corrorima, known as Ethiopian Cardamom, is a flowering plant in the Zingiberaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial growing 1–2 meters tall, with dark green elliptical to oblong leaves 10–30 cm long. The plant produces pink flowers near the ground, followed by red, fleshy fruits containing shiny brown seeds 3–5 mm in diameter. It is native to parts of East Africa, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Description
Aframomum corrorima is a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, and is commonly called Ethiopian Cardamom. It is an herbaceous perennial with leafy stems that grow from rhizomatous roots. The leaves are alternately arranged, dark green, and measure 10–30 cm in length and 2.5–6 cm in width. The plant produces pink flowers close to the ground, which develop into red, fleshy fruits. These fruits contain shiny brown seeds, typically 3–5 mm in diameter. The species is distributed across several East African countries, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It was first described in 1981 by P.C.M. Jansen, based on earlier work by A. Braun.
Other common names
Ethiopian CardamomFalse CardamomKorarima
Distribution
Global · Burundi · Ethiopia · Kenya · Tanzania · Uganda
Synonyms
Aframomum korarimaAframomum usambarenseAmomum korarimaAmomum corrorimaAmomum corrorima
