Edible: Leaves as condiment, Roots, Tubers, Spice
A herb. It has rhizomes with tubers. There are 2-4 leaves. They are erect. The leaf stalk is 1-2 cm long. It has a channel. The leaf blade usually has a pattern of dark and light green. Underneath it is tinged with purple. The leaf blade is oblong to sword shaped and 17-27 cm long by 7.6-9.5 cm wide. The base is wedge shaped. The flowering groups are on separate shoots arising from the rhizome. They appear before the false stem. There are 4-6 flowers. The bracts are purple brown.
A tropical plant. It can grow in seasonally moist and humid or dry climates. It needs fertile, organically-rich, well-drained soil. It needs an alkaline pH. It grows in open grassland and is also cultivated in S China. It grows up to 750 m above sea level. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.
Common Names: Jelly bean Ginger, Round-rooted galangal, Ardong, Bhuichampa, Bhuichampo, Bhumichampa, Buchampaca, Buchampakamu, Chenchineerkilangu, Hai nan san qi, Kenchur, Kondakalava, Kunci pepet, Kunir puteh, Kuntji puti, Malankua, Nelasampige, Nerpichan, Pagi, Punchi pepet, Temu pepet, Temu puteri, Wan hao non
Synonyms:
Kaempferia bhucampac Jones;
Kaempferia longa Jacq.;
Kaempferia versicolor Salisb.;
Zerumbet zeylanica Garsult [Invalid];