RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Macroscopic characters
Rhizomes are 7-15 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad,
irregularly branched with node and internodes. Scale
leaves are present at the nodal region. The outer surface
of the rhizome is smooth and light grey in colour,
internally light yellow. These are hard and brittle,
breaking with a short fracture, fragrant odour, aromatic,
spicy and slightly bitter in taste (Figure 1).
Microscopic characters
The rhizome is circular with epidermis, cortex,
endodermis and closed, collateral vascular bundle.
Transverse section of the rhizome showed outer single
layered epidermis having rectangular and elongated cells,
followed by thin walled cork cells of 6-10 layers,
irregularly elongated. Cortex consists of several layers of
parenchymatous cells with intercellular air spaces and
contains starch. Oil cells are present in cortex. Central
cylinder region contains a yellow to orange coloured
oleo-resin. Endodermis consists of single layer of cells.
Stele consists of a broad central zone of ordinary
parenchymatous cells. Closed, collateral vascular
bundles are found in a circle in the region just inside the
epidermis.. The starch grains are abundant in the cortex
and mostly globose, ovoid and irregularly rounded. The
tracheids are non- lignified and have reticulate, spiral or
scalariform thickening on the walls (Figure 2, 3 & 4).