Kardemumma – Elettaria cardamomum

Rhizome is stout, rather woody, horizontal. From the rhizome arise a dense clump of erect leafy shoots, composed of leaf sheaths (pseudostem). Leaves are distichous, short-petioled, lamina lanceolate, acuminate, 25-90 x 5-15 cm. Inflorescences arise from the rootstock at the base of the leaf shoots and are 0.6-1.2 m long, erect or decumbent slender panicles. Bracts are alternate, green, with axillary cincinni, usually 2-3 flowered. Flowers are bisexual, zygomorphic, ca. 4 cm long. Calyx is tubular, green, shortly 3-toothed, persistent. Corolla has narrow spreading pale green lobes about 1 cm long and obovate white labellum with violet streaks radiating from centre. Fruit is a trilocular capsule, globose or spindle-like that tapers at both ends, pale green or yellow. Seeds are 15-20 per fruit, dark brown, angled, rugose, aromatic, about 3 mm long.