A robust, perennial, aromatic herb, up to 2 m tall, with subterranean, copiously branched rhizome from which arise erect leafy stems and separate inflorescences. Rhizome is hard, subterete, 1-2 cm in diameter, yellow-white, covered with red-brown, glabrous scales. Leafy stem terete, up to 1.5 m tall and up to 2.5 cm in diameter. Leaves are alternate, distichous, sessile, sheathed, smelling strongly of turpentine when bruised. Inflorescence sprouting laterally from the rhizome, sometimes partly subterranean; flower-bearing part of inflorescence spike-like, ellipsoidal or oblongoid, in fruit more ovoid, 3-9 cm x 2-5 cm, densely covered with numerous bracts. Fruit is a depressed globose capsule, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, densely striate and silky hairy, crowned by the remnants of the flower, yellow-white. Seed is polygonal, obtuse, about 4 mm long with white aril.

As a stomachic and tonic, especially after childbirth (seed); as tonic (decoction of the whole plant)

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

As a remedy against colds and coughs (seeds); to alleviate rheumatic pain (decoction of the whole plant); to reduce fever and to combat intestinal pains (dried crushed rhizomes).