Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Japanese: ウコン(鬱金) - ウコン（英語表記）Curcuma longa; turmeric

Also called turmeric. A perennial plant of the ginger family, native to tropical Asia. It is cultivated in the southwestern islands and warm regions of Japan. It reaches a height of 50 cm and has a yellow fleshy rhizome underground. Its leaves are similar to those of canna, long and about 40 cm long, arranged in two rows. In autumn, it produces inflorescences at the top of the stem, and many yellow flowers wrapped in bracts bloom. The yellow pigment contained in the rhizome is used as a dye, food coloring, spice, and one of the ingredients in curry powder, and is also used as a traditional Chinese medicine to stop bleeding and to treat stomach problems.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

ターメリックともいう。ショウガ科の多年草で，熱帯アジア原産。日本でも南西諸島や暖地で栽培される。高さ 50cmに達し，地下に黄色い多肉の根茎がある。葉はカンナに似て長く 40cmぐらいで2列に並んでつく。秋に，茎の上部に花穂を出し包葉に包まれた多数の黄色い花が咲く。根茎に含まれる黄色色素は染料，食品着色剤，香辛料，カレー粉の原料の一つにされ，また漢方薬として止血，健胃剤に用いられる。

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