| Zedoary | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genus: | Curcuma |
| Species: | C. zedoaria |
| Binomial name | |
| Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Curcuma zedoaria (zedoary /ˈzɛdəʊərɪ/,white turmeric, ortemu putih) is a perennialherb and member of the genusCurcuma, familyZingiberaceae. The plant is native toSouth Asia andSoutheast Asia but is now naturalized in other places including the US state ofFlorida.[3] Zedoary was one of the ancient food plants of theAustronesian peoples. They were spread during prehistoric times to thePacific Islands andMadagascar during theAustronesian expansion (c. 3000 BCE).[4] Its use as aspice in the West today is extremely rare, having been replaced by ginger, and to a lesser extent, yellow turmeric.
The name zedoary derives fromPersian via Arabic and Latin.[5]
Zedoary grows intropical andsubtropical wet forest regions. The fragrant plant bears yellow flowers with red and greenbracts and the underground stem section, arhizome, is large and tuberous with numerous branches. The leaf shoots of the zedoary are large and can reach 1 meter (3 feet) in height.
The ediblerhizome of zedoary has a white interior and a fragrance reminiscent ofmango. However, its flavour is more similar toginger, except with a very bitter aftertaste. In Indonesia, it is ground to a powder and added to make whitecurry pastes, whereas in India, it tends to be used fresh or inpickling. InThai cuisine it is used raw and cut in thin strips in certainThai salads. It can also be served cut into thin slices together with other herbs and vegetables with certain types ofnam phrik (Thai chilli pastes). It is also used in India to flavourdals and chutneys.
The showyC. zedoaria is occasionally used as ahouseplant.[6]
The plant is usedtraditionally to treatinflammation, pain, and a variety of skin ailments including wounds, as well as menstrual irregularities and ulcers.[7]
The essential oil produced from the driedrhizomes ofCurcuma zedoaria is used in perfumery and soap fabrication, as well as an ingredient in bitter tonics. Thecurcuminoid1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one, and the sesquiterpenes procurcumenol and epiprocurcumenol can be found inC. zedoaria.[8]
