Renealmia thyrsoidea
(Ruiz & Pav.) Poepp. & Endl.
Zingiberaceae
Alpinia silvicola Britton
Alpinia thyrsoidea (Ruiz & Pav.) Steud.
Amomum thyrsoideum Ruiz & Pav.
Ethanium thyrsodeum (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze
Renealmia cardenasii Rusby
Renealmia geostachys K.Schum.
Renealmia platycolea K.Schum.
Renealmia silvicola (Britton) Steyerm. & Agostini
Renealmia uleana Loes.
Common Name:
General Information
Renealmia thyrsoidea is a herbaceous perennial plant producing clumps of erect stems 0.8 - 5 metres tall from rhizomes that can be 10 - 30mm thick[
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of ink. It is cultivated in home gardens in Ecuador[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
Range
S. America - northern Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica; Caribbean - Trinidad.
Habitat
Inundated and non-inundated forests from the lowlands to the cloud forests at elevations up to 3,000 metres[
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Pollinators | Humming birds |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The stringy fibres inside the fruit are edible. They are boiled and eaten with manioc cakes[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The flesh of the fruit is mixed with rice meal, or can be added to soups, where it imparts a pleasant flavour[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
,
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
]. It is considered to have nutritive properties[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
]. The globose to ellipsoid, black-purple fruit can be 15 - 45mm long and 7 - 25mm wide with a fleshy fruit wall around 3 - 7mm thick[
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
].
The most interesting application of the fruit is that the seeds, when toasted and mashed, are made into a cafe' type of beverage[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
].
Medicinal
It is believed that pains may be alleviated by applying a heated leaf to the place where pain is felt[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
].
The dried leaves are often placed over cuts or scratches to act as a sort of bandage or cover[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
].
The seeds, when toasted and mashed, are made into a coffee type of beverage which, when taken with coffee, are said to aid in childbirth and serve as a remedy for chills and colds[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
,
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
].
The plant is valued in treating snakebite by crushing the stem and drinking an infusion once a day to prevent swelling[
697- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 29
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Some interesting notes on plant uses in tropical America. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Other Uses
The fruit, which has a thick, fleshy, purple-black flesh, is used to make an ink[
592- Title
- Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Steyermark J.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
- Year
- 1951 - 1957
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
,
850- Title
- Renealmia (Zingiberaceae-Zingiberoideae), Costoideae (Additions) (Zingiberaceae).
- Publication
- Flora Neotropica 18: 1 - 218
- Author
- Maas P.J.M.
- Publisher
- New York Botanical Garden; New York.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A monograph of the genus Renealmia in the American Tropics.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
