Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, synonym C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka, or the spice obtained from the tree's bark. It is often confused with other similar species and the similar spices derived from them, such as Cassia and Cinnamomum burmannii, which are often called cinnamon too. Cinnamon lowers the rate of cellular respiration in yeast.
Cinnamon' trees are 10–15 metres (32.8–49.2 feet) tall. The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, 7–18 cm (2.75–7.1 inches) long. The flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish color, and have a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple 1-cm berry containing a single seed.
The name cinnamon comes from Greek kinnámomon, itself ultimately from Phoenician. The botanical name for the spice—Cinnamomum zeylanicum—is derived from Sri Lanka's former name, Ceylon.
In many other, particularly European languages, it has a name akin to French cannelle, diminutive of canne (reed, cane) from its tube-like shape. In Marathi, it is known as DalChini. In Kannada it is called "Chekke" . In Bengali, it is called "Darchini". In Telugu, it is called Dalchina Chakka, Chakka meaning bark or wood. In Sanskrit cinnamon is known as tvak or darusita.In Urdu, Hindi, and Hindustani cinnamon is called darchini in Assamese it is called alseni, and in Gujarati taj. In Farsi (Persian), it is called darchin.
In Indonesia, where it is cultivated in Java and Sumatra, it is called kayu manis and sometimes cassia vera, the "real' cassia. In Sri Lanka, in the original Sinhala, cinnamon is known as kurundu, recorded in English in the 17th century as Korunda. In Malayalam, karugapatta and in Tamil pattai or lavangampattai or karuvappattai. In Arabic it is called qerfa.
Scientific Classification:
| Kingdom |
: |
Plantae |
| Division |
: |
Magnoliophyta |
| Class |
: |
Magnoliopsida |
| Order |
: |
Laurales |
| Family |
: |
Lauraceae |
| Genus |
: |
Cinnamomum |
| Species |
: |
C. verum |