General Information

COMMON NAMES: Turmeric, Curcumin, Curcuma TRADITIONAL NAMES: Renga (RR MG AT MK MT AK); Other Polynesian - Ago (TON), Ago (SAM), Re‘a (TAH), ‘Olena (HAW) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE India - Malesia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Polynesian, Not naturalised; Land, lowlands SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine, Food (Root 4+) Cond KEY FEATURES: Annual herb to 1m. RHIZOME short, thick, yellow and aromatic. LEAVES stalks form erect pseudostem, blades narrow-oval, to 50x20cm. FLOWERS cone-like cluster, to 12cm; bracts pale green with 1-2 white to yellow flowers, terminal bracts pink (and sterile).

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+++	P	??	P	+++	++	-		-

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Curcuma longa Linnaeus
SYNONYMS: Curcuma domestica

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); LILIOPSIDA (=Monocotyledones); ZINGIBERIDAE; Zingiberales; ZINGIBERACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine, Food (Root 4+) Cond. Comments: Rhizome used in curry, elsewhere the orange powder as ceremonial cosmetic

GENERAL NOTE: In Hawaii the raw root juice was used to make yellow tapa, while the steamed root provided a deap orange dye for tapa. It was also used for medicine and in religious cemermonies. In India is is a major ingredient of curry powder, and the orange powder can be used for adornment.

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.1620 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.255 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.1/196 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.298 I Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.35 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.397c Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupB04b, zD02

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