Perennial plant belonging to the ginger family, native to India and the East Indies; also the ground powder from its tuberous rhizomes (underground stems), used in curries to give a yellow colour and as a dyestuff. (Curcuma longa, family Zingiberaceae.)
In India it is traditionally applied in the form of a paste of powder to aid healing of cuts and grazes.
Red and white were the colours of the Inca Empire. Red represents the blood shed in the fight for independence. White stands for peace and justice. Effective date: 25 February 1825.