Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/499

Resembles C. Zedoaria, Rosc., but differs widely in the colour of the root. Rootstock ovoid, sessile, large, tubers pale-grey inside. Petiole long, green. Leafy tuft about 3ft. Leaves large, oblong, with a broad purple-brown cloud down the middle, blade l-l½ft. by 5-6in., glabrous beneath. Spike produced dense 5-6 by 2½-3in. diam. ; flower bracts green, ovate, very obtuse, l½in.; bracts of the coma rather longer, many, bright red. Flowers pale-yellow, rather shorter than the bracts. Corolla limb red. Lip ½in. broad obscurely 3-lobed mid-lobe emarginate. (J. G. Baker.)

Uses : — It is considered to have nearly the same medicinal properties as C. Zedoaria. The Turkomans employ these roots as a rubefacient, to rub their bodies down with after taking a Turkish bath. (Aitchison.) In Bengal, it is used in the fresh state like turmeric.

Vern. : — Âmâ-haldi (H.) ; Am-ádá (B.) ; Ambá-halada (Mar,) ; Amki-adrak (Dec.) ; Mamidi-allam (Tel.); Kájura gauri (Bomb.).

Habitat : — Bengal and the Concans native, and widely cultivated under the name of Mango ginger.

An annual. Rootstock large ovoid ; sessile tubers thick, cylindric deep or pale-orange when mature, not pale-yellow. Leafy tuft 2-3ft. Petiole as long as the blade which is l-l½ft. by 6in. or more in breadth, plain green tapering gradually to the base and apex. The form of the leaf is at times oblong- lanceolate as described by some Botanists. Peduncle ½ft. or more hidden by the sheathing base of the leaves. Spike autumnal, 3-6in. by l½in. diam. ; flower bracts about lin. pale-green ; those of the coma-tinged pink. Flowers pale-yellow, about as long as the bracts. Corolla whitish. Lip pale-yellow.

Uses:- -The rhizomes are regarded as cooling and useful in prurigo. They are also employed as carminative and stomachic. Locally applied over contusions and sprains. Roots are expectorant and astringent, useful in diarrhœa and gleet.