Hellenia speciosa (J.Koenig) S.R.Dutta
Hellenia speciosa (J.Koenig) S.R.Dutta
Family: Costaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Streptophyta
Class: Equisetopsida
Subclass: Magnoliidae
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Costaceae
Genus: Hellenia
Species: speciosa
Common Name:
English: crepe ginger
Hindi:Kushtha
Malayalam: Aanakoova and Channakoova.
Tamil: Ven-kostam
Description: Hellenia speciosa, also known as crepe ginger, is a tropical plant with large leaves and unusual flowers. It's a member of the Costaceae family and is native to Southeast Asia.
Phenology: October to November.
Uses: Hellenia speciosa, also known as crepe ginger, has many uses, including as a food, ornamental, and medicinal plant.
Food
The rhizomes can be eaten as a vegetable or pickled.
The leaves, flowers, shoots, and rhizomes can be eaten.
Ornamental
It is often grown in tropical gardens as an ornamental plant.
Medicinal
The rhizome is used in Ayurveda to treat fever, rash, asthma, bronchitis, intestinal worms, coughs, and kidney problems.
The leaves are used to treat diabetes.
It has anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial properties.
It is a source of diosgenin, which is used to produce steroids like progesterone.