Botanical name: Amomum maximum    Family: Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)
Synonyms: Amomum pterocarpum, Amomum microstephanum, Amomum dealbatum

Java Cardamom is a plant 1-3.5 m tall. Flowers are borne in nearly spherical spikes, 3-5 cm in diameter, which are carried on 2-8 cm log flower-cluster-stalk. Bracts are reddish, ovate, about 2.5 cm. Sepal-cup is 3-lobed at tip; sepals 2-lobed. Flower tube is white, about 2.5 cm; petals white, lanceshaped, equaling tube. Lateral staminodes are subulate, about 2 mm. Lip white with yellow line along center and radiate, red veins, elliptic, about 2.5 cm, tip notched. Ligule round, 2-cleft, 0.4-1.6 cm, rusty hairy; leaf-stalk 0.5-3 cm; leaf blade above bright green, below whitish, oblong-lanceshaped, 50-70 x 5.5-14 cm, above hairless, below brownish velvet-hairy, base wedge-shaped, tip tapering. Capsules are purple-green, ellipsoid, 2.5-3 x 1-1.2 cm, with 9 crenulate-winged ribs, not splitting open; stalk 1-2 cm. Java Cardamom is found in shady forests, hill slopes, in Yunnan, Bangladesh, NE India, Nepal, SE Asia and Western Ghats, at altitudes of 600-800 m.
Medicinal uses: The fruits and seeds of Java Cardamom are known to be used traditionally to cure stomach problems and digestive disorders in China.

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The flower labeled Java Cardamom is ...