Curcuma aurantiaca
van Zijp.
Rainbow curcuma
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
Description
A ginger family herb. It grows 1.5 m tall. It has small rhizomes and no false stems. The rhizomes are white inside and have an aroma. There are 2-5 leaves and they are oblong to sword shaped. The flowers are in dense heads on a stalk from the base. The flowers are tube shaped and yellow. The fruit is an oval capsule. The seeds are shiny and light brown.
Edible Uses
The leaves are eaten.
Medicinal Uses
The rhizomes have a camphor scent. They are used medicinally for their astringent properties.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in teak forests and grassy fields up to 700 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from division of the rhizome.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Germinates best at temperatures around 20°c. Division of the rhizome when the plant is dormant.
Notes
There are about 50 Curcuma species. They are mostly in SE Asia.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Temu blobo
References (6)
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 715
- Heyne, K., 1927 ed, Nutt. Plant. Ned. Ind. p 496
- Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 225
- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 1097
- Terra, G.J.A., 1973, Tropical Vegetables. Communication 54e Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, p 42
Show all 6 references Hide references
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
