MEDICINAL USES OF PLANTS 177 



Genus POLIANTHES 

 POLIANTHES TUBEROSA L. AZUCENA or TUBEROSE. 



Local name: Azucena (throughout the Philippines). 



The bulbs are used in a decoction to cure gonorrhea; and in 

 the form of a poultice are employed as a maturative. 

 Distribution : Cultivated from Luzon to Mindanao. 



Family DIOSCOREACEAE 



Genus DIOSCOREA 



DIOSCOREA HISPIDA Dennst. NAJlf. 



A description of this species and its local names are given in 

 the section on food plants. 



The tubers, raw or cooked, are used as an anodyne and ma- 

 turative in cases of tumors and buboes, and also against ar- 

 thritic and rheumatic pains, etc. 



Family MUSACEAE 

 Genus MUSA 

 MUSA ERRANS (Blanco) Teodoro var. BOTOAN Teodoro. Butuhan. 



Local names: Butuan or butuhan (Tagalog, Bikol) ; but (Iloko) ; pakol 

 (Bisaya) . 



The sap is vulnerary. The sap exuding from the base of the 

 cut trunk is used for urethral injections in gonorrhea. 



Distribution: Widely distributed and occasionally cultivated. 



Family ZINGIBERACEAE 



Genus ALPINIA 



ALPINIA PYRAMIDATA Blume. LAnGKAUAS. 



A description of this species and its local names are given in 

 the section on food plants. 



The rhizomes are carminative and stimulative. A decoction 

 of the leaves is used for antirheumatic and stimulant baths. 



Genus COST US 

 COSTUS SPECIOSUS (Koenig) Sm. TuB'6ng-UsA. 



Local names: Baston de San Jose (Spanish in Iloilo) ; lunas (Bataan) ; 

 tam,bdk (Batangas) ; tubong-iLsd (Camarines). 



The rhizome is an aromatic medicine. It is not much used, 

 though it' sometimes replaces the species of Kaempferia. 



Distribution: Very widely distributed throughout Luzon, the 

 Visayas, and Mindanao. 



Genus CURCUMA 

 CURCUMA LONGA L. DilAu or Turmeric. 



A description of this species and its local names are given 

 in the section on resins, gums, and oils. 



The rhizomes when cooked in oil are stomachic and vulnerary. 



