Olivia
Kaempferia rotunda
Asian Crocus Scientific Classification
Scientific Name: Kaempferia rotunda
Rank
Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom Viridiplantae (Green plants)
Infra kingdom Streptophyta (Land plants)
Super division Embryophyta
Division Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class Magnoliopsida
Subclass Zingiberidae
Order Zingiberales
Family Zingiberaceae (Ginger Family)
Genus Kaempferia L. (Kaempferia)
Species Kaempferia rotunda L. (Kaempferia, resurrection-lily)
Synonyms Kaempferia longa Jacq.
- Kaempferia rotundata L.
- Kaempferia versicolor Salisb.
- Kaempferia versicolor Salisb.
- Zerumbet zeylanica Garsault (Inval.)
Zerumbet zeylanica infra subs. Oppr
Kaempferia rotunda is a stemless perennial spice plant in the Zingiberaceae family with many medicinal purposes in allopathic and Ayurveda medicine. Kaempferia rotunda, though widely cultivated around the world, it is not easily found in the wild.
Naturalized in Malaysia, Java and Costa Rica it is a native of China, Indochina, and the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Assam.
Kaempferia rotunda is known by many names, peacock ginger, Indian crocus, Asian Crocus, the Sanskrit name bhumi Champa meaning blooming from within the earth, and round-rooted galangale.
Medicinal uses
Small nurseries that grow herbs mainly cultivated it for its tubers for medicinal use. The toxin benzyl benzoate is present in the flowers and goes to make ointments to treat scabies. It also has possible antioxidants. Used in the treatment of swellings, wounds and tumours.
It is traditional medicine in Kerala known as Chengazhineerkkizhangu. The rhizomes and roots are used to treat obesity, abdominal pain, colic, dysentery and diarrhoea and applied locally to tumours. In India, they use Rhizomes for treating bruises and wounds. It is also used to treat mumps. They use the leaves as a poultice in India.
In the Philippines, they use Rhizomes for gastric disorders. They also applied Kaempferia rotunda externally with coconut oil. The rhizome juice may be used internally.
In Nepal, for treating sprains, they make a paste with the rhizome and other herbs and apply it to the injured area and bandage.
In Java, they apply the rhizome for stomach ailments and as cooling medicine.
Swellings, tumours and wounds respond to treatment by an application of the tubers
They also use it in traditional folk medicine, in Bangladesh, to treat high blood sugar and pain.
It clears impurities and blood clots from the body and cures burning sensation, insomnia, and treatment of mental disorders and helps to ease gastric complaints. It also improves complexion.
They use the juice of the rhizomes in relieving oedema of the feet, hands and joint pain.
Precautions
It is always advisable to consult a health practitioner before treating any health issues. Some people may develop an allergy and if such reactions appear discontinue and immediately get medical help.
Description
Kaempferia rotunda is a herb without stems growing only about 65 cm. It produces small fleshy rhizomes along with slender cylindrical roots. The tubers from this herb are about 1.15 cm long and about 1.2.5 cm thick, swollen, subglobose bearing aromatic tuberous, subglobose and fragrant yellow to white rhizomes.
Flowers of about 4 to 6 are a shade of indigo and sprout from the soil, often appearing before the whitish leafy shoots appear as the flowers and leaves don’t appear at the same time.
The leaves are oblong-lanceolate to ovate shape about 7.36 cm long and about 4.7 - .11 cm wide.
Culinary uses
They eat the leaves, roots, rhizomes and young leaves and shoots cooked as a vegetable or fresh.
They also use the Kaempferia rotunda as a spice ingredient.