Vol. 7, Issue 9, Part A (2025)

The family Zingiberaceae comprises numerous ethnomedicinal plants of immense therapeutic value, many of which remain underexplored scientifically. Curcuma caesia and C. amada, two threatened species of Zingiberaceae, are widely utilized in traditional and Ayurvedic medicinal systems yet face increasing conservation concerns. The present study undertakes a comparative phenological investigation of these species under the prevailing climatic conditions of Jorhat, Assam. Rhizomes collected from local villages were cultivated in the Botanical Garden of Jagannath Barooah University, and phenophases including shoot initiation, leaf development, inflorescence emergence, flowering period, flower longevity, and vegetative growth parameters were recorded over three consecutive years. Results indicate that both species exhibit broadly similar early-stage growth, but significant differences in plant height and leaf size become evident at later stages, with C. amada showing slightly greater growth values. Leaf number remained statistically similar across all growth stages, while flowering occurred during June-July in both species, producing short-lived flowers. No fruit set was recorded. The observed phenological variations highlight the ecological strategies of these taxa and provide baseline information critical for their domestication, sustainable harvesting, and conservation. Overall, this study underscores the role of comparative phenological research in safeguarding threatened medicinal resources and ensuring consistent bioactive compound availability.