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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge (IJTK) >
IJTK Vol.11 [2012] >
IJTK Vol.11(4) [October 2012] >
| Title: | Ethnobotany of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) |
| Authors: | Velayudhan, K C
Dikshit, N
Nizar, M Abdul |
| Keywords: | Curcuma
Origin
Domestication
Ethnobotany
Uses
Medicine |
| Issue Date: | Oct-2012 |
| Publisher: | NISCAIR-CSIR, India |
| IPC Code: | Int. Cl.8: A61K 36/00 |
| Abstract: | This paper deals
with the ethnobotany of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) - an ancient crop having
its origin and early domestication in South Asia and ethnobotanically very
important. Due to its manifold uses in cultural and social life of ethnic
people of Asia with special reference to South and South East Asia, has very
early domestication and evolutionary history. In India, its history begins from
time immemorial, probably much prior to the great Indus valley civilization. It
is grown from time immemorial in Orissa. It has been mainly used as a colouring
agent, a magic substance and a substance of religious importance and medicine
from ancient times. Also, several other species of the genus Curcuma are
economically useful. An attempt has been made in the paper to assemble
information and elucidate the historical, legendary, religious, literary and
mythological aspects substantiating logically the probable origin of the crop
in India. Its ethnic connections in relation to its common usage in the
sustenance of the primitive people from the pre-historical times are
documented. The information given in the paper is mainly based on available
literature and the passport information on the indigenous knowledge collected
by the authors during survey and collection trips conducted and the PGR work
carried out by the senior author on the genus Curcuma during the past 25 years. |
| Page(s): | 607-614 |
| CC License: |  CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India |
| ISSN: | 0975-1068 (Online); 0972-5938 (Print) |
| Source: | IJTK Vol.11(4) [October 2012]
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