Dancing girl ginger

Botanic name:            Globba marantina Linn

Local name:                Chota rasna.

Family :                       Zingiberaceae

Erect rhizomatous herbs.

Grows up to 50 cm high.

Leaves: bifarious, to 20 x 5 cm, oblong-lanceolate, acute at apex.

Flowers: solitary in each bracts; calyx 5 mm long, funnel shaped, 3-lobed; corolla 14 mm long, tube slender, lobes short, yellow; lip as long as the corolla, deeply 2-lobed, yellow; stamen 1, anthers broadly winged.

Medicinal Properties: Used by tribal people , Its roots and leaves is claimed to be used in the management of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cough, cold, snakebite and  as abortifacient. 

Mala Inji (Zingiber zerumbet)

Common name: 

English:

Shampoo Ginger

Pinecone Ginger

Malayalam:

Kattu inji koova

Sanskrit:

Ahava,

Avanti,

Karpuraharidra

Botanical name: 

Zingiber zerumbet 

Family:

Zingiberaceae

This perennial wild ginger grows in moist places in the forests of Asian continent. The Rhizome is yellow inside, edible, and tuberous. The pseudo stems are 1m tall.

Leaves:

Leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem, the blade is oblong or elliptical, 15cm- 3cm to 40cm-10cm, narrowed at the base, and acuminate or acute at the apex.

Flowers:

Separate stalks grow out of the ground with green cone-shaped bracts that resemble pinecones these bracts are about 6cmX3.5 cm to 15 cm X 5cm in seize. The green cone turns red/ yellow over a couple of weeks and then small creamy yellow flowers appear on the cone.

Medicinal properties:

This plant is used to treat indigestion, cure fatigue, to treat convulsion and constipation and to break fever.

It is reported that, the rhizome is having anti-inflammatory properties, suppresses free radical generation.

 It is also reported that it is effective in the treatment of leukemia and tumours.

MANJAL (മഞ്ഞൾ )

ENGLISH NAME :  Turmeric

BOTANIC NAME :  Curcuma longa

FAMILY: Zingiberaceae

HABIT: 
 Perennial rhizomatous herb cultivated for getting rhizomes. Powdered rhizomes are used to colour and enhance food products.

DESCRIPTION:
  
         PLANT      :

 An herb that grows up to 1.5 m in height ,having upright pseudostem and horizontal  underground stems known as rhizomes. Rhizomes are pungent tasting, warming and aromatic.

         LEAF         :

 Long petiolate , pale green  in colour,Oblong- lanceolate in shape.


         FLOWER   :

 inflorescence grows to about 15 cm tall. Sheaths covering the flower stem and bracts are light green in colour. Funnel-shaped white flowers with yellow shade, peeping out of large bracts .   

    
PROPAGATION: 

Whole or Split mother rhizomes are used for propagation.

FOOD VALUE:

 Turmeric is a very important spice in India. It is added in foods for both its flavour and colour. 

MEDICINAL USES:

 Raw rhizome as well as rhizome powder is used in home remedies.
Folkloric: Rhizome powder used as blood purifier.
 It is also used as a stomach tonic. 
Turmeric is used for the treatment of liver ailments,Diabetics, skin diseases and healing wound . 
It is also used externally, to heal sores, and as a cosmetic. 
Studies: 
Turmeric shows antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.
Now a days Turmeric is used to treat following conditions:
 Digestive disorders, Bacterial infection, Cardiovascular conditions, Arthritis (as an anti-inflammatory agent), Cancer and as a cosmetic.

LOCAL NAMES:
 Haridra, Marmarii (Sanskrit),
 Haldi (Hindi), 
Arishina, Arisina (Kannada), 
Halad (Marathi),
 Manjal (Tamil),
Haridra (Telugu), 
Haldi(Urudu), 
Halodhi (Asamese),
 Halud (Bengali), 
Haldar (Gujarathi), 
Haladi (Oriya). 

Foot note:  The cylindrical & branched rhizome is the portion of the plant which is used as spice. It is usually cleaned, boiled, dried, and powdered to yield a yellow powder (Turmeric powder).
Method of Cultivation:
Prepare the land to a fine tilth during March /April and prepare beds of size 3 x 1.2 m with a spacing of 40 cm between beds. Plant during April/ May with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers. Take small pits in the beds in rows with a spacing of 25 x 25 cm. Plant finger rhizomes flat with buds facing upwards and cover with soil or dry powdered cattle manure. Time of harvest depends upon variety and usually extends from January to March.