RHIZOMA GALANG^. 641 



pointed out by Vogel as early as 1815, and has since that time been 

 utilized as a chemical test. 



Borax added to an alcoholic solution of curcumin gives rise to a 

 crystallizable substance, which Ivanow-Gajewsky (1870) isolated by 

 heating an alcoholic extract of turmeric with boracic and sulphuric 

 acids. It forms a purple crystalline powder with a metallic green 

 lustre, insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol. Its solution is coloured 

 dark blue by an alkali. 



According to the same chemLst there also exists in curcuma an 

 alkaloid in very small quantity. Kachler (1870) found in the aqueous 

 decoction an abundance of hioxalate of potassium. 



Commerce — In the year 1869 there were imported into the United 

 Kingdom 64,280 cwt. of turmeric; in 1870, 44,900 cwt., — a very large 

 proportion being furnished by Bengal and Pegu. The export from 

 Calcutta 1 in the year 1870-71 was 59,352 cwt. 



Bombay exported in the year 1871-72, 29,780 cwt., of which the 

 greater portion was shipped to Sind and the Persian Gulf, and only 

 910 cwt. to Europe.^ 



Uses — Turmeric is employed as a condiment in the shape of curry 

 powder, and as such is often sold by druggists ; but as a medicine it is 

 obsolete. It is largely consumed in dyeing. 



Substitute — Cochin Tui^meric is the produce of some other species 

 of Curcuma than C. longa. It consists exclusively of a bulb-shaped 

 rhizome of large dimensions, cut transversely or longitudinally into 

 slices or segments. The cortical partis dull brown; the inner substance 

 is homy and of a deep orange-brown, or when in thin shavings of a 

 brilliant yellow. Mr. A. Forbes Sealy of Cochin has been good enough 

 to send us (1878) living rhizomes of this Curcuma, which he states is 

 mostly grown at Alwaye, north-east of Cochin, and is never used in 

 the country as tui^ieric, though its starchy tubers are employed for 

 making arrowroot. The rhizomes sent are thick, short, conical, and of 

 enormous size, some attaining as much as 2| inches in diameter. 

 Internally they are of a bright orange-yellow. 



The beautiful figures of Roscoe '^ show several species of Curcuma 

 and Zingiber provided with yellow tubers or rhizomes, all probably 

 containincf curcumin. 



RHIZOMA GALANG^. 



Radix Galangce * minoris; Galangal; F. Racine de Oalanga; 



G. Galgant. 



Botanical Origin — Alpinia officinaruni Hance,^ a flag-like plant, 



^ Returns quoted at p. 571, note 2. formed us, Kmi-Uang ginger. Kau-liangis 



^ Statement of the Trade and Navigation the ancient name of a district in the pro- 



of Bombay for 1871-72, pt. ii. 95. vince of Kwangtung. 



^ Monandrous Plants of the order Scifa- ^ Journ. of Linnean Societi/,'Botci.ny, xiii. 



mineoe, Liverpool, 1828, es^ciaMy Zingiber (1871) 1; also Trimen's Jown. of Bot., ii. 



Casnumunar. (1873) 175 ; Bentley and Trimen's Med. 



* GoZawflra appears to be derived from the Plants, part 31 (1878). — Dr. Thwaites of 



Arabic name Kktilavjan, which in turn Ceylon, who has the plant in cultivation, 



comes from the Chinese Kan-Hang Kiang, has been good enough to send us a fine 



signifying, as Dr. F. Porter Smith has in- coloured drawing of it in flower. 



2s 



