Roxburgh. Plant. Gorom.

Cl.1. Ord.1. Monandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Seitamineae.

Species. A. Cardamomum.1 The Cardamom-tree. Van. Rheede (Elettari). Hort Malabar, vol. ix. t. 4, 5. Linnaean Trans. vol. x. part 2d.* Roxburgh, Ind. p. 3. N. 226. Asiatic Res. vol. xi. p. 335.

Officinal. Cardamomum, Lond. Amomi repentis semina, Edin. Amomum Cardamomum; semina, Dub. Lesser Cardamom-seeds.

Syn. Petit Cardamome(F.), Kleine Kardamomen(G), Kardamom(Dutch), Kadamome (Dan), Kardemumma (Swed.), Amorao minore (I), Cardamomo (S. 8c Port.), Kardamome (Russian), Kakula (Arab.), Purbi and Guzrate Clachi (H.), Ela (San.), Kapol (Javanese), Yaylersie( Tarn.), Capulaga (Malay), Pooah (Sumatra).

The plant which produces these seeds is a native of India growing on the mountains above Cochin and Calicut; in shady places, on the declivities, and in the valleys. It is properly referred by Dr. Roxburgh to the genus Alpinia. The cultivated plant does not flower till it is four years old. It rises twelve feet in height. The root is an oblong, jointed, tortuous tuber, of a whitish colour, and sending off numerous fibres. The stems, which emerge from the root, are simple stripes, like a reed, round, smooth, and the thickness of the human thumb. The leaves are alternate and sheathing, elliptico-linear, about two feet and a half, and sometimes twelve feet in height, from four inches to two feet in length; broad, green, and striated with parallel veins, and having a strong sub-acrid, aromatic taste and odour. The midrib of the leaf, on the upper surface, is pale green; on the under a much deeper green. The flowers are in racemes, which are sent off from the rhizome or underground stem; creep along the ground; and are furnished with oblong leaflets like capsules.

The calyx is monophyllous, inferior, small, and divided into three obtuse teeth at the margin: the corolla is monopetalous, tubular, and four-cleft, the three outer segments being long, narrow, and of a straw-colour, and the central one is white, tipped with pink, large, broad, concave, and irregularly oval. The filament is broad, slightly grooved, supporting a large, double, emarginate, crestless anther, having a deep fissure between its lobes, to receive the style, which is slender, and bearing a funnel-shaped ciliated stigma. The capsule is a fleshy smooth pericarp, and trilocular, containing eighteen to twenty-seven hard, horny, obtusely wedge-shaped seeds.

Hippocratis.

The ripe fruit is gathered in November; and the capsules, which are dried in the sun, or over a gentle and slow fire, change as they dry from green to a whitish straw colour, and become thinner in the bark: whilst the permanent calyx and foot-stalk is detached by rubbing them between the hands.1 A rainy season is fatal to the crops, owing to the racemes lying on the ground.

Three species of this genus are known : but that which is above described yields the officinal cardamoms. They are brought to this country in the Bengal ships in cases, each containing about 120 lbs. weight. For the purpose of preserving them, they are kept in the capsules, which are small, triangular, striated, and of a pale, clear straw-colour.

Qualities.-Cardamom seeds have an agreeable aromatic odour, and warm spicy taste. They are easily separated from the capsule; and are of a brown colour, angular, corrugated, and pulverulent. Water, alcohol, and ether, extract their virtues; the two latter most completely. The watery infusion has a turbid appearance; and lets fall a flocculent precipitate, on the addition of alcohol, the acids, solutions of sulphate of iron, muriate of mercury, and acetate of lead; but the sulphate of iron does not alter its colour. The alcoholic tincture is rendered milky by water. The ethereal has a yellowish green hue, and, when evaporated on the surface of water, leaves neither resin nor extractive, but a considerable portion of essential oil, which has the flavour and taste of the seeds in perfection. Cardamoms, therefore, seem to be entirely composed of fecula, mucus, and essential oil.

Medical properties and uses.-Cardamom seeds are carminative and stomachic. They are less stimulating than pepper: and are therefore used, united with rhubarb and magnesia, in the flatulent colic of children; and as a grateful addition to bitters in dyspeptic and gouty affections of the stomach: but they are principally employed to give warmth to other remedies.

l In gathering the fruit, the fruit panicles are plucked up by the roots; and the pods, being stripped through the fingers, are sorted into three classes: 1. Valli

Kai, or head fruit; 2. Nadu Kai, middle fruit; 3 Poulo Kai, abortive fruit.__

Linn. Trans, x. p. 229.

The dose in powder is from grs. vj. to Эj.

Officinal preparations.-Extractum Colocynthidis compositum, L. D. Tinctura Cardamomi, L. E. D. Tinct. Cardamomi com-posita, L. D. Tinct. Cinnamomi composita, L. E. Tinct. Conii, L. Tinct. Gentiance composita, L. D. Tinct. Rhei, E. D. Tinct. Rhei cum Aloe, E. Tinct. Sennae, L. D. Spiritus Ether, aromat., L. Vinum Aloes Soccot., E. Confectio aromatica, L. D. Pulvis Cinnamomi comp., E. Pilulae Scilliticae, E. Pilulae Scillae co?nposita, D. Infusum Sennae compositum, D.