Elettaria cardamomum Maton (Cardamom): Aromatic Compounds, In Vitro Culture Studies, and Clonal Propagation

Abstract

Cardamom is a polymorphic species of the monotypic genus Elettaria. True cardamom or lesser cardamom is a monocot belonging to the family Zingiberaceae under the natural order Scitaminae. The varietal status of true cardamom has been designated as Elettaria cardamomum var. cardamomum (syn. var. minor Watt; var. minuscula Burkhill, Purseglove 1975). The seeds, contained in the dried fruits (capsules) and possessing a characteristic pleasant aroma, are the cardamom of commerce. Rosengarter (1969) ranked cardamom as the third costliest spice in the world. In India it is the second most important spice next to black pepper (Pruthi 1979).