CONDIMENTS AND SPICES. 



N. O. 233. ZINGIBERACEJE. GINGERWORTS. 

 Curcuma longa. Ros. Lona-rooted Turmeric. 



Linn. Syst. Monandria Monogynia. 



The rhizome, Turmeric. 



Vernacular. Peeta, Sans. Huridra, Beng. Sans. Huldi, Sang. 



Beng. Hind. Hulud, Dec. Arsina, Can. M<mgellacua, Mai. 



Munjil, Tarn. Passapoo, Pampi, Tel. Ilaradal, Ilaran-kaha, 



Cey. Zirsood, Urook-us-sefer, Arab. Zirdchoobeh, Pers. Coonhet, 



Malaya. 

 Habitat. Cultivated in India, Java, China, Cochin China. 



Remarks. The Kvneipos ivfaicbs of Dioscorides, and " Cypira, herba 

 Indica," of Pliny. Curcuma is from Kir hum, the Persian for Saffron. Of 

 Turmeric (quasi " Terra merita,") Royle writes, " It is remarkable that in 

 Persian works, Khaldoonion tomagha is assigned as its Greek name ; in the 

 Tofht-ul-Mumineen, the description by Dioscorides of Chelidonium majus, 

 is translated and applied to the turmeric. But in the Mukhzun-ul- 

 Udwieh, a true description is given of this substance, but the corrupt 

 altered form of xc\i86viov TO peya is equally applied." 



Zingiber Officinale. Ros. Narrow-leaved Ginger. 



Linn. Syst. Monandria Monogynia. 



The rhizome, Ginger. 



Vernacular. Ardruka, Ardrukum, Sans. Adruk, Beng. Dec. 

 Ada, Beng. Hind. Sonth, Hind. Dec. Ischi, Mai. Injie, Soo/c- 

 ftoo, Tarn. Ullum, Sonti, Tel. Ammoo-inguroo, Cey. Zinjebeel- 

 rutb, Arab. Zinjebeel-tur t Pers. Alia, Malay. 



Habitat. Cultivated in tropical Asia and America, and at Sierra 

 Leone. 



Remarks. The {lyyipcpts of Dioscorides, and Zingiber of Pliny. Of this 

 order Elettaria Cardamomum, Maton, the True Cardamom yields the 

 Cardamoms of Malabar, which however are not cultivated in Bombay. 

 The plant is the Alpinia Cardamomum of Roxburgh, and Ranealmia Carda- 

 monmm of Roscoe. The Ceylon, or Wild Cardamom, is from Elettaria 

 major, Smith, cultivated at Kandy. Amomum Cardamomum of Linnseus, 

 a native of Sumatra and Java, yields Round Cardamoms. A. Granum 

 Paradisi, Afzelius, and A. melegueta, Roscoe, of Guinea, yield Grains of 

 Paradise and Malogueta Pepper. A. maximum, Roxburgh, of Java, yield 

 the larger Java Cardamoms of commerce. A. macrospermum, Smith, of 

 Sierra Leone, yield the so-called Cajuputi seeds. Besides these A. ylobosum, 

 Loureiro, of Cochin China and China, and A. villosum, Loureiro, of Cochin 

 China, A. clusii y Smith, and A. danielli of Attapah, (Pereira figs. 249, 250, 

 251, 252,) are used locally. Pereira notices two interesting species of 

 Cardamom, one of which, in "Dr. Burgess's collection at the College of 

 231 



