ABSTRACT
Description: Zedoary is a name for C. zedoaria herb and for the spice consisting of its dried and pulverized aromatic rhizome. C. zedoaria is a perennial herb native to India; it is cultivated for edible purposes (rhizomes, leaves). Zedoary grows in tropical and subtropical wet forest regions. The rhizome is large and tuberous with many branches. The leaf shoots are long and fragrant, reaching 1 m (3 ft) in height. The plant has thick, tuber-like rhizomes, sterile and ˆower-bearing branches, very large (edible) leaves, ˆowers with a white calyx and trigonous capsules containing arillate seeds. The part used is the rhizomes (commercially available in disks or long slices). Zedoary has a characteristic warm, camphoraceous odor and a warm, spicy, slightly bitter taste.
