1. Alpinia Roxb., Asiat. Res. 11: 350 (1810).
By: Atsuko Takano & Kalpana S. Dhakal
Taxon Description
Terrestrial herbs. Rhizome creeping. Pseudostems well developed. Leaves sessile or petiolate, many, rarely few; leaf blade oblong or lanceolate. Ligule conspicuous. Inflorescence terminal, panicle or raceme, usually many flowers appear in cincinii of 1-10 flowers. Rachis simple or sometimes branched. Bracts rarely present. Bracteoles tubular or elliptic.Flowers arranged densely or lax, showy, colorful, pedicellate. Calyx tubular, 3-lobed, sometimes split on 1 side. Corolla tubular, 3-lobed, mostly greenish white or yellow, central lobe usually wider than lateral lobes. Lateral staminodes reduced or subulate. Labellum often showy, usually larger than corolla lobes. Filaments inconspicuous; anthers 2- celled, thecae parallel. Ovary 3-loculed, placentation axile, elliptic or globose, with silky hair; stylodes often large; stigma expanded. Capsule globose, indehiscent or irregularly dehiscent. Seeds numerous, often angled, arillate.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide ca. 245 species: tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia, and Pacific Islands; 3 species recorded in Nepal.
Key to Species
1a Leaf blade abaxially glabrous; Inflorescence a panicle; bracts present ….…………………… 2
b Leaf blade abaxially hairy; Inflorescence a raceme; bract absent …………….……….…………. 3
2a Leaves sessile; labellum apex emarginate ……………………………..………..….… *A. calcarata
b Leaves subsessile; labellum apex with two clefts ………………………..………..…… 2. A. nigra
3a Petiole > 3 cm, Ligule 2 cleft ………………………………………..…………….…… 1. A. malaccensis
b Petiole < 3 cm, Ligule entire………………………………………..……….……..…..…… 3. A. roxburghii
1. Alpinia malaccensis (Burm.f.) Roscoe, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 8: 345 (1807).
Maranta malaccensis Burm.f., Fl., Ind. 2. (1768); Costus malaccensis Koenig; Languas malaccensis (Burm.f.) Merr.
जङ्गली सुकुमेल Jangali sukumel (Nepali).
Tall herbs, up to 3 m. Leafy sheaths striated, ligule 1–1.2 cm, pubescent, petiolate, petiole 3–4.5 cm; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, (22)–60–70 X 6–14 cm, abaxially pubescent, base acute, apex acuminate, margin ciliated. Inflorescence terminal racemes, ca. 50 cm, erect, rachis ca. 35 cm, densely pubescent, peduncle ca. 14 cm, pubescent; bract absent, bracteoles broadly elliptic, ca. 2.5 cm, pubescent. Flowers tubular, white, pedicel 0.6–0.9 cm, densely pubescent. Calyx campanulate, ca. 1.5 cm, apex shortly 3-lobed, pubescent. Corolla cream white, tubular, lobes oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, ca. 2.5 cm, glabrous. Lateral staminodes 2, moderately developed, linear-lanceolate to oblong. Labellum yellow at the top and scarlet other parts, ca. 3 cm, apex emarginate, sides incurved. Anthers two celled, ca. 1 cm, thecae parallel. Ovary ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm, with silky hair; style slender; stigma globose and hairy. Capsule cream yellow, globose, ca. 2 cm in diameter, pubescent. Seeds black or dark brown, subglobose to ovoid, up to 6 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 100–400 m.
Ecology: Along the stream.
Flowering/ Fruiting: April–May.
2. Alpinia nigra (Gaertn.) Burtt, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 35: 213 (1977).
Zingiber nigrum Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 35 (1788); Alpinia. allughas (Retz.) Roscoe
कुरँजन Kuranjan, कुलँजन Kulanjan (Nepali)
Tall herbs, ca. 2.5 m. Leafy sheath striated, ligule 5–7 mm, orbicular, pubescent, subsessile, petiole 5 mm; leaf blade lanceolate, 38–40 X ca. 5.5 cm, glabrous on both surface, pubescent on either side of lower midvein near petiole, base cuneate, apex acuminate, margin entire. Inflorescence terminal panicle, 24.5–30 cm, slightly bend on one side, rachis 16.5–23 cm, pubescent, peduncle 7–8 cm, pubescent; bracts membranous, ovate ca. 3 mm, tomentose, each subtending 3 pedicellate flowers, bracteoles membranous, funnelform, tomentose, persistent. Flowers tubular, pink, pedicel 0.5–0.7 cm, tomentose. Calyx tubular, ca. 1.2 cm, apex 3-lobed, adaxially pubescent. Corolla white, tubular, lobes linear-oblong, ca. 1.6 cm, adaxially pubescent. Lateral staminode absent or reduced. Labellum ca. 3 cm, apex with two clefts. Anthers two celled, ca. 6 mm, thecae parallel. Ovary ellipsoid, 3–5 mm, pubescent; style filiform; stigma funnelform, exerted above anther, mouth ciliated. Capsule black, globose, ca.1.5 cm in diam. Seeds black, subglobose, 5–6 mm in diameter.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 200-600 m.
Ecology: Found wild on the road side close to the stream
Flowering/ Fruiting: August – September.
3. Alpinia roxburghii Sweet, Hort. Brit. 390 (1826).
Alpinia blepharocalyx K.Schum,; Alpinia bracteata Roxb., nom. illeg.
सेतो बोझो Seto bojho (Nepali)
Tall herb ca. 2 m. Leaf sheath striated, ligule 5–8 mm, ovate, villous, petiolate, petiole 2–2.7 cm; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 53–70 X 5–6 cm, abaxially sub-tomentose, sub-tomentose near to petiole, base attenuate, apex acuminate, margin entire. Inflorescence terminal racemes, ca. 21.6 cm, erect, rachis ca. 12.6 cm, hirsute, peduncle ca. 9 cm, pubescent; bract absent, bracteole elliptic, 2.5 cm, glabrous, tip tomentose. Flowers tubular, white marked with red, pedicel 0.3-0.6 cm, hirsute. Calyx funnelform, 1.2–1.7 cm, apex 3-lobed, glabrous. Corolla white, tubular, central lobe suborbicular, ca. 2 cm, lateral lobe broadly lanceolate, 2.5–3 cm, glabrous. Lateral staminodes 2, well developed, oblong to elliptic, showy. Labellum with red marking, oval, ca 3.2 cm, apex emarginate, shallowly bilobed. Anthers two celled. Ovary ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm, with silky hair; style slender; stigma funnel-shaped, often ciliate. Capsule reddish orange, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm in diameter. Seeds black, globose, 2–5 mm in diameter.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia, and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 300-400 m.
Ecology: Found wild in a shady evergreen gulley.
Flowering/ Fruiting: April–June.
Note: Description of Alpinia roxburghii is based on protologue, and digital image of specimens preserved in BM.
Exotic species
- *Alpinia calcarata (Andrews) Roscoe, Linn. Soc. London 8: 347 (1807).
Cultivated species (description not mentioned)