428 8GITAMINEM 



ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM, Mafon. 



Fig. — Rheede, Hort. 3IaL xi., ft. 4 and 5 ; BentL and Trim.y 



t 267 ; Woodville, t. 231 ; Boxh. Cor. PL iiu, t. 226. Malabar 

 Cardamom {^ng.)y Oardamome du Malabar {M\). 



X ■ 



Hab.^ — AYest and South India. The fruit. 



Vernacular. — Chhoti-ilayachi or ilachi (Rind. ) , Elaich, 

 Gujrati-elaich {Beng.), Elchi (Ouz.), Veldoda {Man), Ella-kai 

 {Tarn.), Ydlakki {Can.), Elettari {MaL), Elakaya, Yittula {Tel.). 



History, Uses, &c 



m 



Ela, is mentioned by Susruta. In the Nighantas it bears 



various synonyms, such as Truti, Kapota-varni " grey. 



Korangij 



try 



The large or Nepal cardamom (Amommn suhulatum) is called 

 Sthulaila *' large Ela/^ and is described separately. Both kinds 



pungent 



nimi 



piles, and diseases of the bladder and kidneys. These two 

 oardamoms are described by Ibn Sina under the name of ^ ^ 

 (kakulah) ; he also describes separately under the name of 

 ^j^.O^^x (hilbawa) another kind of cardamom as more easily 

 digested than the hakulah* This latter cardamom is the true 

 Cardamomttm majiis or Nutmeg cardamom of Africa to which 

 Pereira has given the name of Amomimi Icorarima. We think 

 that there can be no doubt that the Grreeks were acquainted 

 with the cardamoms of India which they appear to have first 

 obtained from the Persians through Syria and Armenia. 

 Dioscorides says: — *^ Choose that which is tough, well filled, 

 closed ; if not in this state, it is too old and has lost its aroma. 



taste is pun — "^ '^ ^"^ i-'i-^-- >> 



o 



With 



the name Katidaus, the Greeks appear to have applied it to 

 this spice in much the same way as the Persians applied the 



name 



plant whicli was used for flavouring bread. In tlie Burhdn it 

 is stated tliat tlie name kakulah is also given by some to a fruit 



like saj)aHdan (a kind of cress), which is the same as Ilachi, 



