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Useful Tropical Plants

Siphonochilus aethiopicus

(Schweinf.) B.L.Burtt

Zingiberaceae

+ Synonyms

Cienkowskia aethiopica Schweinf.

Cienkowskiella aethiopica (Schweinf.) Y.K.Kam

Kaempferia aethiopica (Schweinf.) Benth.

Kaempferia ethelae J.M.Wood

Kaempferia natalensis Schltr. & K.Schum.

Siphonochilus natalensis (Schltr. & K.Schum.) J.M.Wood & Franks

Common Name:

Siphonochilus aethiopicus
Close-up of the flower, with the leafy stems behind
Photograph by: Marco Schmidt
Creative Commons License
Siphonochilus aethiopicus Siphonochilus aethiopicus Siphonochilus aethiopicus

General Information

Siphonochilus aethiopicus is a perennial plant producing annual leafy stems about 35 cm tall from aromatic, perennial tuberous roots[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Highly prized for its medicinal virtues, the plant has been over harvested from the wild in parts of its range to a point just short of total extinction[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. It is also cultivated on a garden scale for its medicinal and ornamental virtues. The cone shaped rhizomes and fleshy roots are dug up and sold in local markets around the country. The plant has very attractive, though short-lived, delicately scented flowers[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Drier areas of tropical and subtropical Africa.

Habitat

Savannah[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.35 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in tropical and subtropical climates, where it is adapted to growing in areas with a distinct dry season.
An easily grown plant, provided it is given a well-drained, compost rich soil and a warm, but shady position either in a container or in the garden[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Plants respond very well to high levels of feeding with organic matter[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required. Female forms tend to be smaller than male forms[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The highly aromatic roots are antimicrobial and decongestant[
395
Title
Pharmaceutical monographs for 60 South African plant species
Publication
 
Author
Scott, G. and Springfield, E.P.
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com/medmonographs
Publisher
 
Year
2004
ISBN
 
Description
A series of 60 monographs of S. African medicinal plants. Well written, with information on traditional uses and modern research into the plants.
]. They have a variety of medicinal and traditional uses[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
The rhizomes and roots are chewed fresh to treat asthma, hysteria, colds, coughs & flu[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Wild Ginger is used to treat malaria and is chewed by women during menstruation[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - can take up to a year to germinate[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Division of the rhizomes, carried out when plants are dormant. Be careful not to remove or damage the roots when splitting the rhizomes[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Siphonochilus+aethiopicus>

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