Everyday names need a little context.

Spices can be seeds, fruits, bark, or other plant parts. Cumin and fennel are from different plants; cinnamon and cassia are related bark spices. Names on a market label may be regional or broad, so botanical names help clarify a comparison.

Browse the real photographs below. Read the form and source, not just the colour. This is a culinary reference, not a way to certify a spice’s species, purity or quality from a photograph.

Start with cumin versus fennel, cinnamon versus cassia, or our note on shahi jeera and regional naming.