The difference between cardamom and grass fruit

The names of cardamom and grass fruit are so similar that many people are very confused about the distinction between them before they have not seen the real thing, and even are fooled by illegal merchants when they buy them for the first time, so what is the difference between cardamom and grass fruit?

I. different species and genera

Cardamom is a plant of Zingiberaceae, alpinia officinalis and cardamom species, mainly distributed in Guangdong and Guangxi in China, born in mountainous areas or dense forests. Grass fruit is a plant of the genus Zingiberaceae and Cardamom, distributed in Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and other provinces and regions of China, cultivated or wild under sparse forests, growing at an altitude of 1100-1800 meters.

Second, different shapes

The cardamom plant is 3 meters tall, the leaf blade is linear-lanceolate, the tip is acuminate, and there is a short tip, the base is attenuate, both sides are asymmetric, the margin is hairy, both sides are glabrous or sparse on the back of the leaf. Racemes terminal, erect rachis light green, hirsute, bracteoles milky white, broadly elliptic, base hirsute, gradually reduced upward to glabrous. Calyx campanulate, apex irregularly toothed, Corolla lobes margin slightly involute, ciliate. The labellum is triangular-ovate with colored stripes radiating from the center to the edge.

The stem of grass and fruit is tufted, up to 3 meters high, the whole plant has spicy aroma, and the underground part is slightly like ginger. Leaf blade oblong or oblong, apex acuminate, base attenuate, margin scarious, both surfaces smooth glabrous, sessile or shortly stipitate. Spikes unbranched. Total pedicel 10 cm or more long, densely scaly, scales oblong or oblong-elliptic. Bracts lanceolate, apex acuminate, bracteoles tubular, one side lobed to middle. Labellum elliptic, apical micro-tooth cleft.

Third, the efficacy is different

Cardamom seeds contain volatile oil with a natural aroma and can be used for anti-inflammation and sterilization. In medicine, it is used for dampness to block the abdominal distension of the spleen and stomach, especially those with cold and dampness, and is often used in cooperation with Sichuan, Amomum villosum, tangerine peel and so on. It is used to treat cold and dampness stagnation and vomiting, which is often used in compatibility with Pinellia ternata and ginger.

Herbal fruit is one of the bulk varieties of traditional Chinese medicine for both medicine and food, which is used as seasoning and spice, and the whole plant can extract aromatic oil. The fruit is used in medicine, which has the function of dryness and dampness, invigorating the spleen, eliminating phlegm and intercepting malaria. Main treatment of epigastric fullness, nausea vomiting, food accumulation of malaria and other diseases. Many proprietary Chinese medicines are inseparable from its formula.

We will stop here about the difference between cardamom and grass fruit. As long as we make a careful observation, it is easy to distinguish it.