A slender herb, growing 1—2 m tall, rhizome rather slender. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate, up to 45 cm x 5 cm, long acuminate, glabrous, petiole about 2 cm long, ligule ovoid, 7—8 mm long, blunt. Inflorescence terminating leafy stem, about 6 inches long, with cincinni of 2-3 flowers at each node, short-hairy. Flowers white, in axils of deciduous flower bracts, lip to 1.5 inches long, yellow, marked with red. Capsule ovoid, up to 2 cm in diameter, sparsely short hairy and orange-red. Seeds are numerous.

Stomachic (infusion of the rhizome)

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used to treat abdominal troubles (infusion of the rhizome)

Jantan I, Pisar M, Sirat HM, Basar N, Jamil S, Ali RM, Jalil J. Inhibitory effects of compounds from Zingiberaceae species on platelet activating factor receptor binding. Phytother Res. 2004 Dec;18(12):1005-7.