Hill turmeric
Curcuma pseudomontana

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. It is erect and grows 75 cm tall. It has a stout rootstock and round tubers at the ends of roots. They are white inside. There are 3-5 leaves. They are oblong to sword shaped and 20-30 cm long by 6-9 cm wide. The flowering spikes are 10-25 cm long. The bracts are green with a pink top. There are 2-4 flowers in each fertile bract. They are yellow. The fruit are round capsules splitting by 3 valves. The seeds are oval.

There are about 50 Curcuma species. They are mostly in SE Asia.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in moist shady places in forests. It occurs on the Deccan in India. It is usually in shade and near the banks of streams. It occurs at about 800 m or higher above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India

How it is used for food

The rhizomes yield a form of arrowroot starch.

It is used when food is scarce.

Edible parts

Tubers, root, starch, rhizome

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kachura, Kattumanjal, Raan halada, Sinderwani, Sindarbar

Synonyms

Curcuma grahamiana Voigt [Illegitimate]; Curcuma ranadei Prain;