Curcuma australasica
| Native Turmeric | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Curcuma australasica, Native Turmeric. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genus: | Curcuma |
| Species: | C. australasica |
| Binomial name | |
| Curcuma australasica Hook. f. | |
Curcuma australasica, Native Turmeric, or Cape York Lily, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the Zingiberaceae or ginger family.[1]
Nomenclature
- Curcuma - from the Arabic name for turmeric, kurkum.
- australasica - for Australian.[2]
Description
C. australasica is the only Australian native of the 50 world-wide species of Curcuma. It occurs on Cape York Peninsula, a few areas in the Northern Territory, Australia, and in Papua New Guinea. It has a very beautiful, long-lasting flower found in moist pockets in sandstone areas and in wet woodland and forest areas. It grows well in containers, can be propagated by division and prefers to well-watered in summer and dry in winter.[2][3]
It is grown for its flowers in Zimbabwe, and a cultivated variety called "Aussie Plume" is grown in the US which can grow up to 6 ft (almost 2 meters) tall.[3]
The native form is usually less than 500 mm tall (20 inches), with long green leaves (140-450 x 60–190 mm), pleated. Flowers 15–20 mm, November to March in Queensland, normally yellow on a spike with pink, red, mauve or green bracts.[3] Occasionally a white form is found in the wild - see accompanying photograph.
The Aboriginal Gugu Yimithirr language name is kumbigi. Aboriginal people in Cape York Peninsula used to roast and eat the roots of this plant.[2][3]
IUCN Red List status: not evaluated,[4] but very common and widespread in Queensland.
References
- ↑ "Curcuma australasica". The International Plant Names Index.
- 1 2 3 Scarth-Johnson (2000). National Treasures: Flowering plants of Cooktown and Northern Australia. Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association. ISBN 0-646-39726-5.
- 1 2 3 4 Beasley, John (2009). Plants of Cape York: The Compact Guide. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-9806863-0-2.
- ↑ "Curcuma australasica". Encyclopedia of Life.