1076

Curcuma longa L. 

Synonym	:	Curcuma domestica Valeton
Family	:	Zingiberaceae
Local name	:	English-Turmeric Malayalam - Manjal
Flowering and fruiting period	:	September-November
Distribution	:	Cultivated throughout the tropics
Uses	:	Commonly used as condiment and also as a source of yellow dye. It has antiseptic properties used as a remedy for poisonous affections. It is stimulant, tonic and vermifuge.
Key botanical characters: Rhizome 2-3 x 2-3 cm, deep orange yellow inside. Leafy shoot 80-120 cm tall. Lamina 45-60 x 15-20 cm, oblong-lanceolate, tapering at both ends, margins wavy. Inflorescence central, 25-30 cm long. Comma bract white. Fertile bracts 4.5-5.5 x 3-5 cm, compactly arranged, lower half of adjacent bracts fused to form pouches, pale green, outer surface pubescent. Flowers 4.5-5.5 cm long, equal to the bracts, light yellow.