364 
USEFUL PLANTS OF THE DISTRICT OF LAKH IM PUR. 
XL 1RIDACEAE. 
28. Belamcauda Adams. 
32. B. cliinensis Leman. F. B. I. vi, 277. 
Belamcauda c/iitieusis Leman. Eng. & Prantl ii, 5, 150. Bardantkm 
chinensis Ker in Koen. & Sims. Ann. Bob. 1, 246. 
Dibrugarh. No. 143. 
Local name. — S urja kanti. 
Distrib.— -A native of China but cultivated all over India. Said to 
be wild in the Himalayas up to 6,000 ft. but very doubtful. 
The pulp of the stem is said to core stomach ache. 
XII. MUSACEJB. 
29. Musa Linn. 
33. M. sapieiltum Linn. F. B. I. vi, 262 ; Eng. & Prantl ii, 6, 8 ; 
Beng. PI. 1050 ; D. E. P. v, 290; Pharmacog. Ind. iii, 443 (under M. 
paradisiaca Linn.) 
Local name. — Reid. “ Banana.” 
Distrib.— rCulti vat ed throughout India and the tropics, indigenous 
in Behar, the Eastern Himalayas, and Ceylon. 
In N. Lakhimpur the leaf bases of the Banana are dried in the sun and then burned. 
An infusion of the ashes called Khar is filtered and kept in bottles. Khar is put in small 
quantities into carries to bring out the flavour. 
XIII. Z1XGIBERACEAE. 
30. Curcuma Linn. 
34. C. longa Linn. F. B. I. vi, 214 ; Eng. & Prantl ii, 0, 19 ; Beng. 
PI. 1042 ; D. E. P. ii, 659 ; Pharmacog. Ind. iii, 407. 
Dibrugarh. No. 338. 
Local name.' — Raldl . a Turmeric.” 
Distrib. — Cultivated in India and throughout the tropics. 
Cultivated in fields and in gardens throughout the district. It may be recognised by its 
bright yellow root-stock and long-stalked oblong leaves. The root-stock (Turmeric) is perhaps 
the most widely used condiment in India and is the chief constituent of curry powder. 
We were told by some cottagers that Haldi , if not transplanted, after two or three years 
gives rise to small, black, egg-shaped tubers called kachur which are used in Yunani 
Medicine. The name kaohur properly belongs to C. zedoaria Rose, the “ Zedoary.” 
