Longoza

Longoza is called wild cardamom in English. The plant is herbaceous, and its erect stems consist of layered tubular leaf bases. The fruit is a berry containing many seeds surrounded by sugary-sweet and sour edible pulp. Its Malagasy name is pronounced [luŋguza].

Name

The species name, angustifolium, means "narrow-leaved" in Latin. Older botanical names for the same plant include Amomum angustifolium, Amomum madagascariense, Cardamomum angustifolium and Zingiber meleguetta.

Classification and range

The genus Aframomum was first published in 1904, with no type species designated. The name Aframomum angustifolium is accepted as a species of the family Zingiberaceae.

Composition of the seed oil

Sixty components were characterized, making up 97.6 percent of the oil. The main constituents are β-pinene (24.8 percent), β-caryophyllene (17.8 percent) and cis-pinocarvyl acetate (11 percent).

Uses

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

The genus Aframomum

Aframomum is a genus of flowering plants in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is widespread across tropical Africa as well as on some islands of the Indian Ocean, namely Madagascar, the Seychelles and Mauritius. It is represented by approximately 50 species, which are perennials with colorful flowers. Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) is another species of the genus, and its seeds are used as a spice. Grains of paradise is closely related to cardamom, and its seeds, used whole or ground, give a pungent, black-pepper-like flavor with hints of citrus. Their peppery taste is caused by aromatic ketones such as (6)-paradol, while essential oils occur only in traces. Melegueta pepper is an economically important edible crop in West Africa.