269 CURCUMA LONGA 



in the early summer. We have not met with any account of the 

 fruit. 



Many species of this fine genus are figured in Roscoe's great 

 work on the Scitaminea, but the present is not included in it. 

 C. aromatica, Salisb. (C. Zedoaria, Roxb. non Rose.), is the 

 subject of an excellent plate in Berg & Schmidt, t. 34 a. 



Retzius, Observ. Bot., fasc. iii, p. 72 (1783) ; Roxb., PI. Indica, 

 i, p. 32 ; Seemann, PI. Yitiensis, p. 291. 



Official Part and Names. TURMERIC ; the rhizome (B. P. 

 Appendix). The Root-stock or Tubers (Curcuma, Turmeric) 

 (I. P.). CURCUMA; the rhizome (U. S. P. Secondary). 



General Characters, Varieties, and Composition. There are two 

 sorts of turmeric seen in commerce the round and the long, but 

 both are the produce of the same plant; the central rhizomes or root- 

 stocks constituting the round, and the lateral or secondary rhizomes 

 (tubers) the long; the latter are the more abundant. The former are 

 roundish or somewhat ovate, usually from about one inch and a half 

 to two inches in length, and one inch in diameter, pointed at one 

 end, and marked externally with annular ridges. They are often 

 found cut into halves. The latter are somewhat cylindrical, more 

 or less curved, pointed at the two extremities, frequently having 

 on their sides one or more short knobs or shoots, about the thick- 

 ness of the little finger, two or three inches long, and marked 

 externally with annular ridges. Both sorts are yellowish exter- 

 nally, very hard and firm, and when broken having a waxy-resinous 

 appearance, and an orange-yellow or reddish-brown colour. The 

 powder is orange yellow. Turmeric has an aromatic taste and 

 odour somewhat resembling ginger, but peculiar. When chewed 

 it tinges the saliva yellow. 



There are several varieties of turmeric known in commerce, as 

 China, Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Java, and Cochin. The latter 

 variety is the produce, however, of another species of Curcuma. 

 The China kind is the most esteemed, but is rarely met with in 

 Europe. The Java is of low commercial value. A rhizome 

 called ' ' African Turmeric " has also been described by Dr. Daniell, 



