Recipes starting with Z

Curcuma zedoaria, also known as Zedoary, is an herb that grows up to 1.2 m in height. This plant has both vertical aerial stems (pseudostems) and horizontal underground stems known as rhizomes, which allow the plant to spread so this species often grows in large clumps.
The swollen underground stems are yellow or orange colored inside and are aromatic when crushed. The leaves of Zedoary are oblong and can be up to 81 cm long and 18 cm wide. This species can be recognized by the presence of a purplish hue along the midvein of the leafblades.

The clusters of flowers are produced in a dense aggregation on an above ground stalk that grows from a leafless underground stem. Green or red tinted bracts at the base of the inflorescence enclose the flowers. The pink, white, or red, upper bracts in the inflorescence contain no flowers but may serve to attract pollinators.

The white flower petals are 4.8 cm long and enclose the stamens (pollen producing structures) and ovary (ovule producing structures). Six stamens are present in these flowers although five of these are sterile. The five sterile stamens are fused to form a lip-like structure that is colored and resembles a petal. The ovary of Zedoary is a three-parted capsule and breaks open at maturity to release the seeds.

Many seeds are produced in each fruit, each of which is surrounded by a fleshy covering.