Black cumin, (Nigella sativa), also called black seed, black caraway, Roman coriander, kalonji, or fennel flower, annual plant of the ranunculus family (Ranunculaceae), grown for its pungent seeds, which are used as a spice and in herbal medicine. The black cumin plant is found in southwestern Asia and parts of the Mediterranean and Africa, where it has a long history of use in diverse culinary and medicinal traditions. The seeds have an aroma similar to fennel and have a pungent flavour somewhat similar to nutmeg, though the plant is not related to either.