The herbaceous perennial grows 2-5 ft tall and found in eastern Bengal and Southwards to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. It is known as lengkuasranting, lengkuas padang, lengkuas kecil, lengkuas geting and chengk-enam. Rhizome is used as a condiment in northern states of Peninsular Malaysia and intermittent in folk medicine along east coast for treating fungal infections. In some states of Peninsular Malaysia, rhizomes are used as post-partum medicine and young shoots are made into vegetable dish.
Plant description
Joint-whip Ginger is a slender perennial herb that grows to the height of 0.6–2 m high with slender, woody and aromatic rhizome i.e. cream colored in cross section. Leaves are glabrous, dark green, shortly petiolated, lanceolate-oblong and about 30 cm by 9 cm. An inflorescence is erect, 1-2 branched, 20-25 cm long. Secondary branches are cincinni and bract is small. Flowers are small and 1.5 cm across. Corolla lobes are white to greenish-yellowish. Lateral staminodes are quadrate, red and filament is slender, 5 mm long and pale yellowish to pinkish. Anther is 2 mm and ovary is glabrous and pyriform. Fruit is a small capsule usually glabrous, green ripening to red, globose, 8 mm across that contains 3 to 5 seeds and is strongly aromatic.
Traditional uses
- Apply the poultice of boiled leaves or leaves and rhizomes to treat rheumatism.
- In Peninsular Malaysia, infusion is used for bathing.
- Rub the rhizome poultice on the body for bone pains.
- Use the pounded leaves as a poultice for confinement.
- In Malaysia, root decoction is used as a shampoo to eliminate lice or pounded leaves are used as a poultice for swellings and boils on stomach after childbirth.
- Drink the mixture of rhizome juice and water for dysmenorrhea.
- Rub the mixture of ground rhizome and vinegar or kerosene on fungal skin infection.
- Apply the essential oil topically for strains and muscle pains.
- In Indochina, rhizome is used to treat bronchitis, jaundice, headache and vertigo.
- In Thailand, rhizomes are used to treat abscesses and indigestion, poultice made from leaves and rhizomes are used for ringworm infections.
- In China, roots are used to treat chest or abdominal pain and digestive disorders.
- Rhizomes are used in Myanmar for gout, cold and digestion.
- It is used for treating diabetes mellitus in Thailand.
- Use the juice extracted from boiled rhizomes and leaves for treating abdominal pain, spleen and indigestion.
- Use the water from boiled leaves for bathing and burned leaves are used for rheumatic pains.
Culinary uses
- In Indochina, rhizome is used to flavor rice spirit and food.
- Slender rhizomes are used for rheumatism, arthritis and various ailments.
- In Thailand, young shoots are consumed raw or cooked in curries.
- In Peninsular Malaysia, rhizome is used as a condiment.
References:
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Alpinia.html
Comments
| Joint-whip Ginger Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Joint-whip Ginger |
| Scientific Name: | Alpinia conchigera |
| Origin | East India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, China (Yunnan), Sumatra |
| Name | Joint-whip Ginger |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alpinia conchigera |
| Native | East India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, China (Yunnan), Sumatra |
| Common/English Name | Lesser Alpinia, Mussel Galangal |
| Name in Other Languages | Bangladesh: Khetranga; Chinese: Jie Bian Shan Jiang; German: Muschelgalgant; Khmer: Romdeng; Malaysia: Jerunang, Chengkenam, Lengkuas Padi, Lengkuas Padang, Lengkuas Kecil; Myanmar: Pade-Gaw; Thai: Khaa Ling; Vietnamese: Riềng Rừng; Thai: Kha ling (ข่าลิง) |
| Plant Growth Habit | Slender perennial herb |
| Plant Size | 0.6-2 m high |
| Leaf | Lanceolate-oblong, 5 mm long, glabrous, dark green, 30 cm by 9 cm |
| Flower | 1.5 cm across |