2026, Vol. 14, Issue 1, Part A

The present paper deals on taxonomic status of ca. 44 species of genus Curcuma L. in India. The highly medicinal genus exhibits remarkable ecological adaptability and is commonly found across diverse habitats such as hilly grasslands, slopes, humus-rich soils, open and shaded areas, cold and hot climates, gardens, sandy soils, semi-evergreen forests, teak forests, upland fields, roadsides, paddy fields, and rocky or lateritic slopes near bamboo clumps. The greatest species diversity is observed in regions including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. The study of the etymology of plant names helps strengthen the connection between humans and plants by revealing the meaning behind their names. This understanding not only aids in identifying the local medicinal flora but also promotes their conservation. Conservation status of plants also mentioned in the paper.