Botanical name : Elettaria cardamomum Maton.
Family : Zingiberaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Ela, Truti, Puta, Sookshma, Dravidi, Upakunjika, Kayastha
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Katu, Madhura
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya : Seeta
Vipaka : Madhura
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Cardamom
Hindi : Elaichi
Malayalam : Elam, Elakkai
Distribution – Cultivated in the colder parts of India, especially in Kerala, and Assam states.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An erect, tall perennial herb grows up to 3 meters in height. Leaves sub sessile, elliptic-lanceolate, the leaf sheaths wrap one over another forms a pseudo stem. Flowers seen in long drooping panicles arises from the base of vegetative shoots, fruits there chambered, sub globose capsules, containing 15-20 brownish black aromatic seeds.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, urinary retention, cough, bronchitis, cardiac disorders, anorexia, dyspepsia, burning sensation, renal and vesical calculi and general debility.
Useful part : Seeds, oil.