Wikipedia Article About Black Cumin on Wikipedia Bunium persicum or black cumin is a plant in the family Apiaceae. Dried B. persicum fruits are used as a culinary spice in Northern India, Tajikistan and Iran. Local names for that spice are काला जीरा (kala jeera, meaning "black cumin") or shahi jeera (meaning "imperial cumin") in Hindi and as زيره كوهی (zireh kuhi, meaning "wild cumin") in Persian. It is practically unknown outside these areas, and is not to be confused with the unrelated Nigella sativa which is also often called black cumin.