Nigella Sativa Plant

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons
Subclass Magnoliidae
Order Ranunculales
Family Ranunculaceae -- Buttercup family
Genus Nigella L. -- nigella
Species Nigella sativa L. -- black cumin

Nigella sativa, grows to a height of 6 to 12 inches. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs, bears milky white apical blossoms that turn bluish-green near the tip, containing a coarse ball-like fruit capsule that develops after the plant blossoms, and a crown of five protruding beak-like spikesand. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Black cumin was found on Tutankhamen's tomb hundred years ago, but why it was found on his tomb, what was the special thing of black cumin so people of Ancient Egypt put it on Tutankhamen's body when he was buried?
Black seed oil has been a beauty secret of women since ancient times. Physicians of the pharaohs used the seeds as a digestive aid after opulent feasts and as a remedy for colds, headaches, toothaches, infections, inflammatory disorders and allergies. Beside of that black cumin was a vital ingredient in many Egyptian dishes.

In the Unani Tibb system of medicine, black cumin has been regarded as a valuable remedy in a number of diseases. Ibn Sina A.D.), most famous for his volumes called The Canon of Medicine regarded by many as the most famous book in the history of medicine, refers to black cumin as the seed that stimulates the body's energy and helps recovery from fatigue and dispiritedness and several therapeutic effects on digestive disorders, gynecological diseases and respiratory system have been ascribed to the seeds of Nigella sativa. It is also included in the list of natural drugs of 'Tibb e nabwi', or prophetic medicine, according to the tradition "hold onto the use of the black seeds for in it is healing for all diseases except death" (Sahih Bukhari vol. 7 book 71 # 592).

Black cumin and its oil have been used to purge parasites and worms, detoxify, ameliorate amoebic dysentery, shigellosis, abscesses, old tumors, ulcers of the mouth and rhinitis. Recent research confirms these uses for humans, dogs, cats and horses. If it's crushed then mixed them with vinegar and honey, can be applied to snake bites and scorpion stings.