Alpinia calcarata (Andrews) Roscoe

 

Family: Zingiberaceae

Synonym: Languas calcarata (Andrews) Merr. 

Vernacular name: Aratha,Chittaratha,Kolinchi

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Widely cultivated, sometimes runs wild

Distribution: Indo-Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting: May-December

Key identification features: It is a rhizomatous perennial herb with leafy stem. The leaves are sessile with glabrous lamina having linear-lanceolate. The labellum is obovate and variegated with dark purple and yellow. Small staminodes are present at the base of the labellum.The fruit is globose with an orange-red color.

Use: The leaves are used for poulticing boils