To Know the Physical Characteristics of Kencur Plants
"Kencur is a type of empon-empon or medicinal plant that has been around with Indonesian people for a long time. The small rhizome has a myriad of benefits, including in overcoming various health problems. But, can you recognize kencur rhizome and distinguish it from other types of rhizomes?"Published by : Kurnia HD - 10/02/2020 08:05 WIB
2 Minutes read.
A way to distinguish rhizomes of kencur/aromatic ginger (Kaempferia galangal) from other types of rhizomes is from the aroma. Kencur has a fresh and distinctive aroma when compared to other rhizomes. But, can you find the differences from their physical characteristics? Well, here is brief explanation of kencur physical characteristics, from the flowers to the roots.
Flower
A kencur flower is trumpet-shaped with a length of about 2.5-5 cm. The flowers have yellow stamens measuring about 4 mm in size and have white and purple pistils (which are characteristic of kencur flowers). Kencur flowers have a fragrant aroma.
Leaf
Kencur leaves are single leaf types, green in color with brownish red and wavy edges. The shape of the leaves is round, widened with a tapered tip. Kencur leaves are about 7-15 cm long and 2-8 cm wide. The leaves grow short to reach the ground and reach 8-10 strands. Fresh green leaf color and slightly thick texture. The petiole is short and whitish in color.
Trunk
The stems of kencur are very short and are formed from leaf midribs that cover each other. In addition, the kencur stem is a pseudo-stem, not hard like a normal stem.
Rhizome
Kencur rhizome grows in groups in the soil and some grows above the ground. In general, kencur rhizome is round with brown color. In addition, kencur rhizome has a sharp aroma. The inside of the rhizome is yellowish white and has a lot of water content.
Root
Almost the same as other types of rhizomes, kencur is single-rooted and finely branched. In addition, the fine roots of kencur are generally attached to the rhizome.
That’s a brief of physical characteristics of a kencur plant. So, to see other things related to kencur, you can read some of the other articles below.
References
Pramudyo, Adi. 2018. Budi Daya dan Bisnis Jahe, Lengkuas, Kunyit, dan Kencur. Jakarta Selatan: PT Agro Media Pustaka.
