Aframomum corrorima

{{Short description|Species of plant in the family Zingiberaceae}}

{{speciesbox

|status = LC

|status_system = IUCN3.1

|status_ref={{cite iucn |author=Harris, D.J. |author2=Wortley, A.H. |author3=Olander, S.B. |date=2019 |title=Aframomum corrorima |volume=2019 |page=e.T117206565A124285245 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T117206565A124285245.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

|image = KororimaWhole01.jpg

|image_caption = Dried korarima fruits, in preparation for making berbere

|genus = Aframomum

|species = corrorima

|authority = (A.Braun) P.C.M.JansenAframomum corrorima was published in "Spices, Condiments and Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: Their Taxonomy and Agricultural Significance", Agricultural Research Report no. 906, and Belmontia New Series vol. 12 p. 10; 1981. The specific epithet was taken from its basionym, Amomum corrorima A.Braun. {{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011182307/https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?462945 | archive-date=11 October 2012 | url= https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?462945 |title=Aframomum corrorima information from NPGS/GRIN |author=Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) |quote=Synonyms: (≡) Amomum corrorima A.Braun (basionym) |work=Taxonomy for Plants |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and National Genetic Resources Program (NGRP) |location=National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (NGRL), Beltsville, Maryland |date=April 9, 2011 |access-date=June 19, 2011}}

| synonyms = *Amomum corrorima A.Braun (basionym)

| synonyms_ref = Amomum corrorima A.Braun, the basionym of Aframomum corrorima (A.Braun) P.C.M.Jansen, was originally described and published in Flora vol. 31, p. 95; 1848. {{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011182322/https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?462946 | archive-date=11 October 2012 | url= https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?462946 |title=Amomum corrorima information from NPGS/GRIN |author=GRIN |work=Taxonomy for Plants |publisher=USDA / ARS / NGRP |location=NGRL, Beltsville, Maryland |access-date=June 19, 2011}}

}}

Aframomum corrorima is a species of flowering plant in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.{{cite web|url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:908251-1|title= Aframomum corrorima (A.Braun) P.C.M.Jansen|author=|date=n.d.|website=Plants of the World Online|publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|access-date= September 25, 2020}} It is an herbaceous perennial that produces leafy stems 1–2 meters tall from rhizomatous roots.{{Cite web|title=Aframomum corrorima - Useful Tropical Plants|url=http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Aframomum+corrorima|access-date=2021-04-12|website=tropical.theferns.info}} The alternately-arranged leaves are dark green, 10–30 cm long and 2.5–6 cm across, elliptical to oblong in shape.{{Cite web|title=Korarima|url=https://elmaskincare.com/herbs/herbs_korarima.htm|access-date=2021-04-12|website=elmaskincare.com}} Pink flowers are borne near the ground and give way to red, fleshy fruits containing shiny brown seeds, which are typically 3–5 mm in diameter.{{Cite book|last=Van Wyk|first=Ben-Erik|title=Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2013|isbn=978-0-226-09166-2|pages=28}}

The spice, known as Ethiopian cardamom, false cardamom, or korarima, is obtained from the plant's seeds (usually dried), and is extensively used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It is an ingredient in berbere, mitmita, awaze, and other spice mixtures, and is also used to flavor coffee.{{cite web |url= http://www.ur169.ird.fr/IMG/pdf/UrbanaEthiopie_anglais.pdf |title=Natural patrimony and local communities in ethiopia: Geographical advantages and limitations of a system of indications |first1=Bernard |last1=Roussel |first2=François |last2=Verdeaux |work=29th Annual Spring Symposium of Centre for African Studies |date=April 6–10, 2003 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061126164622/http://www.ur169.ird.fr/IMG/pdf/UrbanaEthiopie_anglais.pdf |archive-date=2006-11-26 |quote=This Zingiberaceae, Aframomum corrorima (Braun) Jansen, is gathered in forests, and also grown in gardens. It is a basic spice in Ethiopia, used to flavor coffee and as an ingredient in various widely used condiments (berbere, mitmita, awaze, among others).}} Its flavor is comparable to that of the closely related Elettaria cardamomum or green cardamom.{{cite thesis |author=Wondyifraw Tefera |date=April 2004 |title=In Vitro Propagation and Polyploid Induction of Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) Jansen) and Krawan (Amomum krervanh Pierre) |chapter=Introduction | page=1 |publisher=Kasetsart University |isbn=974-273-356-2 |chapter-url=http://publication.eiar.gov.et:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1993/Wondyifraw%20Tefera.pdfAbbyyy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803210336/http://publication.eiar.gov.et:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1993/Wondyifraw%20Tefera.pdfAbbyyy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y | archive-date=2020-08-03 | access-date=3 August 2020 | degree=PhD | via=Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research}} In Ethiopian herbal medicine, the seeds are used as a tonic, carminative, and laxative.{{Cite web |last=Jansen |first=P. C. M. |date=2002 |url= http://database.prota.org/PROTAhtml/Aframomum%20corrorima_En.htm |title=Aframomum corrorima (Braun) |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081120230034/http://database.prota.org/PROTAhtml/Aframomum%20corrorima_En.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=2008-11-20 |website=Protabase |editor1=Oyen, L. P. A. |editor2=Lemmens, R. H. M. J. |publisher=Plant Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA) / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale |location=Wageningen, Netherlands}}

The plant is native to Tanzania, western Ethiopia (in the vicinity of Lake Tana and Gelemso), southwestern Sudan, western Uganda. It is cultivated in both Ethiopia and Eritrea, although the fruits are typically harvested from wild plants. The dried fruits are widely sold in markets and are relatively expensive, while fresh fruits are sold in production areas.

In dried seeds and pods, the major oil components are 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) and (E)-nerolidol.{{Cite journal |author1=Hymete, A. |author2=Rohloff, J. |author3=Iversen, T.‐H. | year=2006 | title=Essential oil from seeds and husks of Aframomum corrorima from Ethiopia | journal=Flavour and Fragrance Journal | volume=21 | issue=4 | pages=642–644 | doi=10.1002/ffj.1634}} Cited in Eyob et al (2007), p. 373. In fresh seeds, the major component of the essential oil is 1,8-cineole, followed by sabinene and geraniol.{{Cite journal |author1=Eyob, S. |author2=Appelgren, M. |author3=Rohloff, J. |author4=Tsegaye, A. |author5=Messele, G. | year=2007 | title=Chemical composition of essential oils from fresh plant parts of korarima (aframomum corrorima) cultivated in the highland of southern ethiopia | journal=Journal of Essential Oil Research | volume=19| issue=4 | pages=372–375 | doi=10.1080/10412905.2007.9699308 |s2cid=85033149 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10412905.2007.9699308 | url-access=subscription | access-date=5 August 2020 }} In fresh pods, the major oil constituents are γ-terpinene, β-pinene, α-phellandrene, 1,8-cineole, and p-cymene.