Aframomum angustifolium

(Sonn.) K. Schum

Madagascar cardamom, Wild cardamom

Zingiberaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds, Leaves, Root, Spice 95 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Aframomum angustifolium, known as longoza (Malagasy pronunciation: [luŋguza], also "wild cardamom" in English) is a species in the ginger family Zingiberaceae that grows in tropical Africa and in Madagascar.

Description

A ginger family plant. It is a herb that keeps growing from year to year. It has stems 2 m high. They are made up of the leaf bases. The rootstock is thick and creeping. It grows in dense stands. The leaves arise in two ranks from underground rhizomes or stems. The leaf blades are 40 cm long by 12 cm wide. The tip narrows to a point. The flower is like a canna but is at the base of the stem. The flower has a protruding lip that is orange tipped with scarlet. The fruit is a narrow egg shape and turns red when ripe. It can be 8 cm long and 3 cm wide. It has a pointed tip. The seeds are oval and 4-5 mm long by 2-3 mm wide. They are smooth.

Edible Uses

The plant's crushed seeds are used as a peppery spice. The leaves are also used as disposable receptacles for eating rice.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. It is the sugary pulp that is eaten. The dried seeds are used like pepper for seasoning. They are used to flavour porridge and bread. They are also added to coffee.

Medicinal Uses

The crushed seeds are boiled with the roots of Piper capensis and drunk as an aphrodisiac.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows on the edge of the forest. It is often near the edges of swamps. In Tanzania it grows between 1,000-1,700 m above sea level and in areas with a rainfall between 900-2,200 mm. It does well in sandy clay loam soils.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Congo R, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed.

Other Uses

The stems are beaten and used as a rope. The dense stands formed by the plant are a favoured habitat for snakes, especially green mamba.

Other Information

The fruit are enjoyed by children. It is a cultivated food plant. It is sold in local markets.

Notes

There are about 50 Aframomum species.

Synonyms

Aframomum baumannii K. Schum.Aframomum hanburyi K. Schum.Aframomum sanguineum (K. Schum.) K. Schum.Amomum angustifolium Sonn.Amomum clusii T. Hanb. [Illegitimate]Amomum clusii Sm.Amomum clusii Hook.f.Amomum danielii Hook. f.Amomum erythrocarpum Ridl.Amomum madagascariense Lam. [Illegitimate]Amomum melegueta (Gaertn.) Giseke [Illegitimate]Amomum nemorosum Bojer [Invalid]Amomum sanguineum K. Schum.Amomum sansibaricum WerthCardamomum angustifolium (Sonn.) KuntzeCardamomum clusii (Sm.) KuntzeCardamomum melegueta KuntzeMarogna paludosa Salisb. [Illegitimate]Zingiber melegueta Gaertn. [Illegitimate]

Also Known As

Amatehe, Amatungulu, Amatunguru, Dark crimson cardamom, Gingenga da mata, Ginger lily, Gobeni, Great Cardamom, Ijooja, Itungulu, Kinsansi, Kongo amor, Lingoza, Lingozakelt, Linguwisha, Longouze, Longoza, Mansasa ma mfinda, Matongururu, Matungulu, Msamaka, Mtunguru, Mtuguu, Mtweve, Nthungula, Oceyo, Omushaasha, Oseyo, Samaka, Tchankoko, Tungulu, Tunguru

References (46)

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