1077

 Curcuma mutabilis Škorničk., M.Sabu & Prasanthk.

Family	:	Zingiberaceae
Flowering and fruiting period	:	May-September
Distribution	:	India (Western Ghats)
Endemic/Exotic	:	Endemic to Southern Western Ghats
Key botanical characters: Rhizome 5 x 2.5 cm, faintly aromatic. Leafy shoot 15-60 cm long. Lamina 14-35 x 7-11 cm, ovate-elliptical, adaxially deep green, hairy on prominent raised veins and towards margin especially at the upper half of the lamina, abaxially pale green, usually glabrous, rarely densely velvety pubescent. Inflorescence vernal in the beginning of the season, later in the season central, 3.5-15 cm long.  Coma inconspicuous. Fertile bracts 2.5-3.5 x 1.5-2.7 cm, ovate-elliptical with visible parallel vienlets, tip obtuse or slightly acuminate, both sides glabrous, whitish, light green, green or with red tinge which can approach to brown red colour, but always all bracts including uppermost sterile ones have dark violet mauve tip, which is usually larger at upper bracts and less conspicuous at the lower ones. Cinncinus 2-4 flowers. Flowers 4.5-5 cm long, yellow.