《中国植物志》|| 伞形科 UMBELLIFERAE ||孜然芹属 Cuminum L. ||孜然 Cuminum cyminum L.

1. 孜然芹 图版1: 1-4
Cuminum cyminum L. Sp. Pl. 254. 1753; DC. Prodr. 4: 201. 1830; Boiss. Fl. Or. 2: 1079. 1872; Hegi, Illustr.. Fl. Mitteleur. 5 (2): 1138. 1926; Schischk. in Komarov, Fl. URSS 16: 369. 1950; Korov. in Pavlov, Fl. Kazakh. 6: 327. 1963; Nasir et Ali, Fl. West. Pakistan 20: 97. 1972; P. K. Mukherjee in Act. 2nd. Symp. Intern. Umbell. 56. 1977; 新疆药用植物志 1: 100. 1977.
一年生或二年生草本，高20-40厘米，全株（除果实外）光滑无毛。叶柄长1-2厘米或近无柄，有狭披针形的鞘；叶片三出式2回羽状全裂，末回裂片狭线形，长1.5-5厘米，宽0.3-0.5毫米。复伞形花序多数，多呈二歧式分枝，伞形花序直径2-3厘米；总苞片3-6，线形或线状披针形，边缘膜质，白色，顶端有长芒状的刺，有时3深裂，不等长，长1-5厘米，反折；伞辐3-5，不等长；小伞形花序通常有7花，小总苞片3-5，与总苞片相似，顶端针芒状，反折，较小，长3.5-5毫米，宽0.5毫米；花瓣粉红或白色，长圆形，顶端微缺，有内折的小舌片；萼齿钻形，长超过花柱；花柱基圆锥状，花柱短，叉开，柱头头状，分生果长圆形，两端狭窄，长6毫米，宽1.5毫米，密被白色刚毛；每棱槽内油管1，合生面油管2，胚乳腹面微凹。花期4月，果期5月。
原产埃及、埃塞俄比亚。我国新疆有栽培。苏联、地中海地区、伊朗、印度及北美也有栽培。
在我国新疆维吾尔族和哈萨克族民间，将果实研末，用作食品中的调料，果实也可入药，治消化不良和胃寒腹痛。

《Flora of China》|| Apiaceae || Cuminum ||孜然芹 Cuminum cyminum

1. Cuminum cyminum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 254. 1753.

孜然芹 zi ran qin

Plants 10–30(–50) cm. Basal petioles 1–2 cm, sheaths lanceolate, margins white and membranous; blade 3–8 × 2–7 cm; ultimate divisions long-filiform, 15–60 × 0.4–0.7 mm. Umbels many, 2–3 cm across; peduncles 3–10 cm; bracts 2–6(–8), linear or linear-lanceolate, 10–50 × 0.5–1.2 mm, unequal, entire or apex 2–3-fid, usually longer than the rays, margins membranous; rays (1–)3–6, 3–20 mm, rather stout, very unequal; bracteoles 3–5, similar to bracts, 4–10 × 0.3–0.6 mm, very unequal, sometimes reflexed; umbellules 3–8-flowered; pedicels 3–6 mm, stout, very unequal. Calyx teeth 0.5–2 mm, longer than the styles. Petals ca. 1.4 × 1 mm. Fruit 5–7 × 1.6–2.8 mm; primary ribs short setulose, secondary ribs densely stellate setulose. Fl. and fr. Feb–Jun(–Sep).

Cultivated. Xinjiang [possibly native to SW Asia and the Mediterranean region].

The aromatic fruits (cumin) are used as a flavoring, to aid digestion, and are of reputed medicinal value. This species is widely cultivated in favorable climates outside its presumed native range. It readily escapes and becomes more or less naturalized locally in many areas.