Turmeric is a tropical perennial plant in the same family as ginger, native to India, and cultivated throughout the tropics around the world. Growing to a height of about three feet (one meter), it bears pairs of lance-shaped leaves of alternate sides of the stem. At the base of the stem, there is a knobby rhizome somewhat resembling ginger. Most herbal traditions use turmeric to "invigorate the blood." It is so useful as a medicine that the Chinese names for the plant both call it "gold," chuan yu jin, river constrained gold, and guang yu jin, plain constrained gold. In ancient times, turmeric was reserved for patients who were relatively weak.30g Glass JarFrom: USA