Named in Capitulare de villis
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
What was written
Cumin is ordered planted by the Capitulare de villis. It is the clearest case on the list of an ordinance written for an empire rather than for a climate: cumin needs a long hot summer to set seed, and much of the Frankish territory cannot give it one. The list names what a well-run estate ought to have, and the estates were spread across a great deal of Europe.
The plant itself
A slender annual umbellifer to about thirty centimetres, with thread-like leaves and small white or pink flowers. The ridged seed is the part used, and it is not closely related to the caraway it is often confused with.
Still growing
Since the plant was written into that garden list, botanists, herbaria and ordinary observers have recorded finding it 701 times.
Live count from GBIF, cached for a week.