Ginger
Kingdom - plantar
Clade - Angiosperms
Clade - monocots
Clade - Commelinids
Order - zingiberales
Family - Zingiberaceae
Genus - Zingiber
Species - Z.officinale
Binomial name: Zingiber officinale
It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about a meter tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers. Ginger is in the family Zingiberceae, to which also belong to which also belong to turmeric ( curcuma longa), cardamon (Elettaria cardamomum), and gallangal. Ginger originated in the tropical rainforest southern Asia. Although ginger no longer grows wild, it is thought to have originated on Indian subcontinent because the ginger plants grown in India show the largest amount of genetic variation. Ginger was exported to Europe via India in the first century AD as a result of the lucrative spice trade and was used extensively by the Romans.
The distantly related dicots in the genus Asarum are commonly called wild ginger because of their similar taste.
Etymology
The origin of "ginger" is from the mid -14th century, from old English , gingifer, from medieval Latin gingiber, from Latin Zingiben, from Greek Zingiben, from prankit (middle Indic) singabera,from Sanskrit srngaveram " horn" and vera "body" from its root. But this may be Sanskrit folk etymology, and the word may be from an ancient Dravidian name that also produced the Tamil and malayalam name for the spice, inchi - ver from inchi "root".(f.gin (v.). The word probably was readopted in middle English from old French gingiber ( modern French gingembre).
Horticulture
Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of it's aesthetic appeal and the adaptation of the plant to warm climates, it is often used as land scaling around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed - like plant with annual leafy stems, about a meter (3 to 4 feet) tall. Traditionally, the rhizome is gathered when the stalk withers, it is immediately scalded or washed and scraped, to kill it and prevent sprouting. The fragrant perisperm of the zingiberaceae is used as sweet meats by Bantu, and also as a condiment and sialagogue.
Uses
Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshly with with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can be steeped in a boiling water to make ginger tisane, to which honey is often added. Sliced orange or lemon fruit may be added. Ginger can be made into candu., or ginger wine, which has been made commercially since 1740.
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