Tikhur / East Indian Arrow Root
Curcuma angustifolia
Also known as Travancore Starch
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- -ay onwards
How to identify Tikhur
Identify Tikhur by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm leaf shape: Lanceolate.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: -ay onwards.
- In India, compare location records such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Zingiberaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Tikhur.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Curcuma angustifolia
- Genus
- Curcuma
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Distribution
- India, Nepal
- Found in India
- Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
- Flowering & fruiting
- -ay onwards
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“Leaves are typically simple, green, glabrous, and lanceolate, with margins that are entire.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- LanceolaterecordedLong and narrow, tapering to a point, like a lance head.“Leaves are typically simple, green, glabrous, and lanceolate, with margins that are entire.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- EntirerecordedA smooth, unbroken edge with no teeth or notches.“Leaves are typically simple, green, glabrous, and lanceolate, with margins that are entire.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.“Leaves are typically simple, green, glabrous, and lanceolate, with margins that are entire.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Tikhur itself; the rest are typical of the Zingiberaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded“The corolla is white, and usually grows to be about 1.5–2 cm (0.59–0.79 in) long with glabrous lobes that are also hairy.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Spike
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Tikhur itself; the rest are typical of the Zingiberaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Tikhur तिखुर, tikor, tikur
- Nepali
- बर्खे सर्रो Barkhe Sarro
- Bengali
- Keturi halodhi
- Tamil
- Ararutkilangu, Kua, Ararut-kizhangu
- Telugu
- Ararut-gaddalu
- Kannada
- Koove-hittu
- Malayalam
- Koova, Kuva-kizhanna, കൂവ
- Marathi
- Tavakeera, Tavakhira, Tavakila
About Tikhur
East Indian arrow root (Curcuma angustifolia) is a herb in the Zingiberaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and 5 other states.
Zingiberaceae
Ginger family
Tikhur belongs to the Zingiberaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Zingiberaceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Tikhur or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides