Rhizome - Specimen details

Rhizome - Specimen details

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Catalogue Number: 37091

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Plant Name 170.01 ZINGIBERACEAE Hedychium spicatum Entry Book Number
Artefact Name Rhizome Vernacular Name
Iso Country India TDWG Region India
Parts Held Rhizome Geography Description India, Indian Subcontinent, Asia Tropical
Uses RhizomeUse: MEDICINES User: Not defined TDWG use MEDICINES
Storage Bottles, boxes etc Related Items
Donor Pharm Soc GB Donor No 30 A 5
Donor Date Donor Notes India Museum Date: 00/00/1880x0Dx0A
Collector Collector No
Collection Notes Collection Date
Exhibition Expedition
Number Components Publication
Notes: Label source: History Uses - I have not met with any account of this drug in native workson materia medica, which seems strange, as it is very well known and aconsiderable article of commerce in India and China and is also exported to Europe. Two kinds o, f Kapur-kachri are found in the Bombay markets, viz:- Chinese and Indian; the latter was supposed by Royle to be sittarittee or lesser galangal of Ainslie (Mat.Ind., vol i, p140), but Moodeen Sheriff states that the sittarittee of the Tamils is the true, lesser galangal, which statement appears to be correct. Kapur-kachri is used in perfumery and to preserve clothes from insects. The Indian is preferred. Description- Indian Kapur-kachri occurs in slices mostly circular, but sometimes the section is made i, n a sloping direction. The slices are half-an-inch or less in diameter and vary much in thickness, they are white and starchy and when freshly pared exhibit a faint line dividing the cortical from the central portion. The edges of each slice are covered b, y a rough reddish brown bark marked with numerous scars and circular rings; here and there rootlets remain attached. The odour is like that of Orris root but more powerful and strongly camphoraceous. The taste pungent, bitter and aromatic Chinese kapur-ka, chri is a little larger than the Indian, white and less pungent. The bark is smooth and of lighter colour.

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