Curcuma ungmensis

About Curcuma ungmensis:

• It belongs to the genus Curcuma(the ginger family Zingiberaceae).
• It has been given the name Curcuma ungmensisafter Ungma, the village in the Mokokchung district where it was found.
• Botanically it is a rhizomatous herb. The rhizome (subterranean stem) part is branched and found deeply buried in the soil. The species could be ideal for gardens.
• It can be introduced in gardens as an ornamental plant for ground cover after proper domestication.
• Flowering occurs during the rainy season from August to October. The flowers open in the morning and last a single day.
• Threats: It faces “severe threat” from a variety of sources, including road development, building construction and natural calamities.
• The family Zingiberaceae has 21 genera and about 200 taxa in India. 
• Curcuma is one of the most important and largest genera of this plant family, the best-known being turmeric (Curcuma longa), black turmeric (Curcumacaesia) and mango ginger (Curcuma amada).
• Curcuma is widely distributed in south and southeast Asia and south China. A few species are also found in northern Australia and the South Pacific.
• In India, the genus is represented by about 40 species, found mainly in northeast and southern States and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.