Tumbong-aso
LUIANG-USIU
Zijngiber zerumbet (Linn.)
| Other scientific names |
| Amomum zerumber Linn. |
| Zingiber cassumunar Naves |
| Zingiver zerumber Sm. var. magnum Elm. |
| Common names |
| Balauag (Bik.) |
| Barik (Tag.) |
| Lampuyang (Buk.) |
| Langkauas (Tag.) |
| Layag sasulug (Bik.) |
| Luiang-usiu (Tag.) |
| Tamohilang (Buk.) |
| Tumbong-aso (Tag.) |
Botany
Smooth, erect and
herbaceous plant. Rootstock is larg, tuberous, and pale yellow
within. Stem is 0.6 to 2 meters high. Leaves are numerous, distichous,
lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 15-30 cm long, 5 to 8 cm wide.
Flowering stem, growing from the rootstock, is 10-30 cm long,
with long, appressed, obtuse sheaths, bearing at its apex an ovoid
to oblong cylindric, green or red spike, 5 to 20 cm long. Bracts
are numerous, imbricate, orbicular, 2-3 cm long. Flowers are 5
cm long, white to cream colored; tube is as long as the bracts,
with tri-lobed lips. Fruid is oblong, 2.5 cm long. Seeds are oblong,
black, and about 4 mm diameter.
Distribution
In thickets in and
near settlements, at low and medium altitudes in most islands
and provinces.
Parts
used
Rhizome
Uses
Folkloric
Decoction of rhizomes
used for asthma and topically for rheumatism.
Pulverized rhizome use for diarrhea.
Rhizome is also used for couigs, asthma, worms and skin afflictions.
Others
In Hawaii, powdered
rhizome reported used as perfume for their "kapa" and
the ends of the club-shaped stems squeezed for use as shampoo.
Availability
Wildcrafted.
