cumin plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cumin

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cuminia cyminum
• Cuminum sativum
• Cyminon longeinvolucellatum
• Selinum cuminum
• Luerssenia cyminum
• Ligusticum cuminum
• Cuminum aegyptiacum
• Cuminum odorum
• Cuminum hispanicum
• Cuminum cyminum var. hispanicum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Apiales, it is classified under the family Apiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Cuminum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution can be traced to the landscapes of Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found within the borders of Germany. Its range extends significantly through Southwestern Europe, encompassing both France and Spain. Finally, the geographical spread reaches into Southeastern Europe, specifically within Bulgaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cuminum cyminum is characterized by its adaptation to arid environments, specifically thriving within habitats such as deserts, oases, and sandy terrains. This species occupies a specific altitudinal niche, maintaining an elevational range that begins at 200 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 700 m AMSL. These environmental conditions suggest a preference for well-drained, sandy substrates and warm, dry climates typical of its desert-associated habitats.

Elevational range max:

700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Habitat :

desert, oasis, sand

Life history

The life history of Cuminum cyminum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its structural life form, it is classified as a therophyte, a strategy where the plant survives unfavorable environmental conditions by completing its life cycle and persisting only as seeds. This classification is supported by its status as both a therophyte and a specific type of life form that avoids perennial growth by focusing its energy on rapid maturation and prolific seed dispersal.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Cuminum cyminum is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber or a liana, and it grows as an independent organism rather than a parasite. It is a terrestrial plant, meaning it is neither aquatic nor epiphytic. In terms of stature, the plant maintains a relatively low profile, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 0.3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.3 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cuminum cyminum is characterized by its metabolic processes as a non-leguminous annual herb, which dictates its specific nutrient acquisition strategies. Notably, it is not a nitrogen fixer; unlike plants in the Fabaceae family that maintain symbiotic relationships with Rhizobium bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen, Cuminum cyminum relies entirely on the uptake of dissolved nitrates and ammonium ions from the soil through its root system. Its physiological development is driven by a high rate of photosynthesis during its vegetative stage, fueled by the accumulation of essential minerals and water. The plant's metabolic pathways are particularly specialized for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, specifically volatile oils like cuminaldehyde, which are produced through complex enzymatic reactions within the secretory structures of the plant. These metabolic processes are highly sensitive to environmental factors such as soil nitrogen availability, moisture levels, and temperature, which directly influence its growth cycles and the concentration of its medicinal compounds.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cuminum cyminum is characterized by a flowering period that typically commences in April and concludes in July, though the timing can be variable across different seasons. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. During the reproductive phase, the plant produces inflorescences that are relatively small, ranging in length from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.03 m. Following successful pollination, which can occur through self-fertilization as it is present in this species, the plant develops fruits that maintain a consistent morphology, with a length and width of approximately 0.6 cm and 0.15 cm, respectively. The resulting seeds are quite minute, possessing a uniform mass of 0.0037 g.

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit width max:

0.15 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.03 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.02 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.0037 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cuminum cyminum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, fruit, leaf.

Seed

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Journal of plant research
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. Pharmacognosy magazine
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Fruit

1. Natural product research
2. Scientific reports
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Journal of plant research

Chemicals

Cuminum cyminum has 166 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cuminaldehyde, Cumin aldehyde, Flavonoid, Linalool, luteolin.

cuminaldehyde

1. Dr. Duke
2. Drug research
3. Reviews on recent clinical trials
4. BMC plant biology
5. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Cumin aldehyde

1. Scientific reports
2. Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal
3. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Flavonoid

1. Scientific reports
2. PloS one
3. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

Linalool

1. Dr. Duke
2. Jundishapur journal of natural pharmaceutical products
3. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

luteolin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. PloS one

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Jundishapur journal of natural pharmaceutical products

Carotenoid

1. PloS one
2. Scientific reports

Caryophyllene

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine

Flavonoids

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Activities

Cuminum cyminum has 538 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Cytotoxic, Analgesic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Pharmacognosy magazine
4. Scientific reports
5. Journal of tropical medicine

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Journal of integrative medicine
4. Pharmaceutical biology
5. Scientific reports

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of tropical medicine

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Molecular biology reports

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. European journal of pharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Antiepileptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Metabolic brain disease

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of integrative medicine
2. PloS one

Antiproliferative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Cuminum cyminum has 55 reported investigations on conditions identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Staphylococcus aureus, cancer, overweight, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori.

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Natural product communications
2. Scientific reports
3. Journal of tropical medicine
4. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Cancer

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. ACS omega
3. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Overweight

1. Iranian Red Crescent medical journal
2. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Escherichia coli

1. Natural product communications
2. Scientific reports

Helicobacter pylori

1. World journal of gastroenterology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Journal of tropical medicine
2. Scientific reports

Constipation

1. The Libyan journal of medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diarrhea

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)

Fever

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Flatulence

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Cuminum cyminum has 24 reported preparations identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, methanolic extract, essential oil, CMT, Chloroformic extract.

Essential oils

1. Integrative medicine research
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal
5. GMS hygiene and infection control

Methanolic extract

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Journal of personalized medicine
3. Scientific reports

Essential oil

1. Journal of clinical and experimental dentistry
2. Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture

Cmt

1. Journal of personalized medicine

Chloroformic extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Eo

1. Scientific reports

Essential oils

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Et

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Acetonic extract

1. Current issues in molecular biology

Aqueous extract

1. Current issues in molecular biology