Globba marantina L.

A ginger family herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 50 cm tall. It has tuberous roots. It has leafy shoots with 8-15 leaves. The leafy growth or ligule is 2 mm long and is fringed with hairs. The leaf stalk of the upper leaves is distinct and is 5 mm long. The leaf blade is sword shaped and 15 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. It has short hairs underneath. The flowers are compact and 1-4 cm long. The flower stalk is 1-3 cm long. There are 8-15 sterile bracts. They overlap. The lower ones are large and are 1.5-2.5 cm long by 2 cm wide. The upper ones are smaller. Each one usually carries a small bulb. These are narrowly oval or cone shaped and 1 cm long. The flowers are yellow.

Favouring dry, open habitats, it is found in dry forested areas, on sandbanks, in valleys, on banks and in sago plantations.

The slightly spicy bulbils are eaten fresh or dried as a seasoning. It can be used like cardamoms.

Plants can be grown from the bulbils. When the plant dies back, these bulbils become dormant for 5 months then they germinate.