Kaempferia galanga

Kaempferia galanga L

Family     : Zingiberaceae

Common Name  : കച്ചോലം(Mal)

          चँद्रमूला(Hin)

                                  Aromatic Ginger (Eng)

     IUCN status          :  Data Deficient (DD)

Aromatic Ginger is found primarily in open areas in southern China, Taiwan, Cambodia and India, but is also widely cultivated throughout SE Asia. The plant is used as an herb in cooking, especially in Thai cuisine. The plant has thick rounded leaves that lay flat on the ground. New leaves start growing in mid spring from the small dormant rhizomes. In summer, one or two flowers are produced successively from the centre of the growing tip. Flowering lasts over a two month period. The plants becomes dormant in winter - leaves die down in late autumn and rhizomes remain underground through winter.

Rhizomatous herbs; rhizome 2-3 x 1-2 cm, crowded, roots numerous, often bearing, ovoid to spherical, 1.5-2 x 0.5-1 cm, white tubers. Leafy shoot stemless, almost horizontal, near the ground. Leaves 2 or 3; lamina 10-15 x 6-10 cm, broadly ovate to orbicular, base rounded to subcordate, tip broadly pointed, margin hyaline, upper surface dark green, lower surface pale green, white with violetish tinge towards the tip, densely hairy. Inflorescence sessile, 6-12 or more flowered, enclosed within 1.5-3.5 cm long, imbricating leaf sheaths.