Morphological & microscopic identification of Curcum albiflora Thw

Curcuma albiflora Thw.(Harankaha) is an endemic medicinal plant used in Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine. However, it has not been studied systematically in terms of its identity. Therefore, several other plants have been used as adulterants or substitutes. In order to establish its correct botanical identity, morphological and microscopic studies were carried out on various its plant parts of C. albiflora. Plants were collected from Ratnapura/Kegallearea in flowering season and procedures were performed according to WHO guidelines and other published data. Morphologically, heights of the plant up to 35 ± 5 cm and 5-7 leaves, both surfaces were glabrous. Inflorescence up to 10 x 8 ± 2 cm, but coma bracts were absent. Fertile bract tip rounded and curved (light green). Flower was white with centre yellow tinged on labellum. Rhizome has many primary fingers, and remote tubers were absent, not as C. zedoaria. Microscopically double layer palisade, subsidiaries dicyclic stomata, palisade ratio 1:5-7, and two sizes of prismatic calcium oxalate crystals (5 ± 2 µm, and 10 ± 2 μm) were found in leaf. Stomatal index was 13% in ventral side and 5% in dorsal side of the leaf. Three sizes of starch grains (small: 5-10 μm, medium: 15-25 μm, and large: 30 μm) in rhizome, and collateral vascular bundles were found. External morphologically, the bracts were angularly attached to the inflorescence and lower bracts are spreading which is a differentiation character from the other Curcuma species. Microscopically, absence of crystals in cortical region of rhizome, cup shaped starch grains and double layered palisade cells under the upper epidermis of the leaf were found to be significant features of the identify of C. albiflora.