1114

 Kaempferia rotunda L.

Synonym	:	Kaempferia longa Jacq.
Family	:	Zingiberaceae
Local name	:	Malayalam - Chengazhinir Kizhangu
Flowering and fruiting period	:	April to May
Distribution	:	India, Malesia and Thailand.   Commonly cultivated throughout India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar
Uses	:	The powder extracted from Kaempferia rotunda is made into an ointment and is used for healing fresh wounds.   It is also taken internally to remove coagulated blood or purulent matter within the body. It is also used in many ayurvedic preparations.
Key botanical characters: Rhizome short, stout, 2.5-3.5 x 2 cm strongly aromatic; roots stout, fleshy, often terminating in ovoid or spindle-shaped, 2-5 x 0.5 cm, yellow-white tubers. Leafy shoot 50-65 cm high. Leaves few, radical, erect; lamina, 15-30 x 5-12 cm, oblong-lanceolate, with acute base and gradually acuminate apex, purple beneath, mottled green above, upper surface glabrous, lower surface densely covered with very short hairs; petiole 6-8 cm long; ligule small, 2-4 mm long, hairy. Inflorescence appearing before the leaves, shortly peduncled, enclosed within greenish-purple, narrow sheaths; 4-12 flowered, usually 1-2 flowers open at the same time, flowers lilac with deep violet in the centre, with many radiating violet lines.