Pharmacognostical Evaluation and Conservation of Threatened Species Curcuma caesia Roxb.

Abstract

Black turmeric  Curuma caesia Roxb. is an important medicinal plant belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. Presently this plant is considered to be endangered by the central forest department of India.(1) Though the genus curcuma used for the treatment of various ailments but Curcuma caesia Roxb. is a very less known and almost untouched drug. The present work attempts to establish the necessary pharmacognostic and phytochemical standards for evaluating the medicinally and economically plant material of c. caesia. various parameters, such as morphology, microscopy, physiochemical constituents of the rhizome (medicinally and economically important plant part) was studied and the salient features are documented. To conserve the endangered species it is exercised to cultivate it in the central India i.e Jhansi by the rhizome cuttings.Â