Renealmia alpinia
(Rottb.) Maas
Cumpia, Combia
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Summary
Source: WikipediaRenealmia alpinia is a flowering plant species native to the Americas, where it grows from southern Mexico through much of South America, though not in the Southern Cone. It can also be found on several Caribbean islands. In Quechua it is called misk'i p'anqa (misk'i sweet; honey, p'anqa bract, "sweet bract" or "honey bract"). The name alludes to R. alpinia's value as a culinary herb, especially for flavoring fish. Among Spanish-speakers this species is known as jenjibre-de-jardin ("garden ginger"). Both jenjibre-de-jardin and ginger (Zingiber officinale) are in the family Zingiberaceae. Renealmia alpinia is commonly known as mardi gras in Trinidad, where hunters administer it either orally or topically to their hunting dogs to treat a variety of conditions, from sprains to snakebite. In Suriname it's known as masoesa.
Description
A robust ginger family plant. It keeps growing from year to year. It has a creeping rhizome. The leaves are 90 cm long. The flowers have white, pink or red bracts around them. The fruit are red capsules which mature to black. The seeds are brownish. There are orange yellow fibres and a fatty substance around the seeds. This is used to colour food and flavour rice.
Edible Uses
The fatty substance around the seeds is used to colour and flavour rice. The fruit fibres serve as flavouring, and the seeds are eaten fresh or mixed with beans. The leaves are used to wrap food and are also sold in local markets.
Traditional Uses
The fatty substance around the seeds is used to colour food and flavour rice. They are also eaten fresh or mixed with beans. The leaves are used to wrap food.
Medicinal Uses
Not mentioned in provided data.
Known Hazards
Not mentioned in provided data.
Distribution
A tropical plant. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.
Where It Grows
Amazon, Andes, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Leeward Is., Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seed or by division.
Other Uses
The ripe fruits produce a purple dye that is used for dying fibres of plants species such as Astrocaryum that are used in weaving. The dye from the fruits is used as ink for writing and for skin tattoos. A yellow-orange dye is obtained from the root. A decoction of the leaves is used to wash the hair in order to remove dandruff.
Other Information
It is sold in local markets.
Notes
There are 70-75 Renealmia species. There are 55 in tropical America.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Assafroa, Big warakaba food, Ciruelo, Gua, Ink bush, Jenjibre-de-jardin, Konosa, Koruati, Kumpia, Matandrea, Mishquipanga, Mowo, Murushi, Murusi, Sarandango, Ucuisi, Urki shuwanku, Xquijit
References (20)
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- Bennett, B. C., 1990, Useful Plants of Amazonian Ecuador. US Agency for International Development. Fifth Progress Report. New York Botanical Gardens. p 40
- Caballero-Serrano, V., et al, 2019, Traditional ecological knowledge and medicinal plant diversity in Ecuadorian Amazon home gardens. Global Ecology and Conservation 17 (2019) e00524 p 14
- Creed-kanashiro, H., et al, Traditional food system of an Awajun community in Peru. Indigenous Peoples' food systems Chp. 4
Show all 20 references Hide references
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