Cinnamomum

/ˌsɪnəˈmoʊməm/ noun

Definition

The genus of evergreen trees that includes the common cinnamon plant (Cinnamomum verum), native to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Etymology

The Latinized genus name, derived from Greek kinnamomon, ultimately from a Semitic source. The word traveled through Greek and Latin scientific naming conventions to become the official botanical name.

Kelly Says

Cinnamomum is the botanical name for 'true cinnamon,' but here's the twist—what people call cinnamon in America is often cassia, a completely different Cinnamomum species with a slightly different flavor and way more coumarin (which can be toxic in high doses).

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