Alpinia
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox Alpinia is a genus of flowering plants in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. Species are native to Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, where they occur in tropical and subtropical climates.[1] Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants.[2]
Taxonomy
The genus was erected by the Scottish botanist William Roxburgh in 1810, and published in the journal Asiatic Researches.Template:R It is named after Prospero Alpini, a 17th-century Italian botanist who specialized in exotic plants.Template:R Species of the genus are known generally as shell gingers.Template:R
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Alpinia hainanensis 'Shengzhen'
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Alpinia hainanensis 'Shengzhen'
Description
These herbs lack true stems, but have pseudostems usually up to about Script error: No such module "convert". long which are composed of the overlapping leaf sheaths.[1][2] A few species have been known to reach Script error: No such module "convert"..[3] They grow from thick rhizomes. The leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. The inflorescence takes the form of a spike, a panicle, or a raceme. It may be hooded in bracts and bracteoles. The flower has a shallowly toothed calyx which is sometimes split on one side. The flower corolla is a cylindrical tube with three lobes at the mouth, the middle lobe larger and hoodlike in some taxa. There is one fertile stamen and two staminodes, which are often joined into a petal-like labellum, a structure that is inconspicuous in some species and quite showy in others. The fruit is a rounded, dry or fleshy capsule.[1][2] The plants are generally aromatic due to their essential oils.[4]
Species
This is the largest genus in the ginger family,[3] with 249 species and 2 hybrids accepted by Plants of the World Online since 30 June 2025[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"..[5] A number of those are commonly grown for their flowers, including red ginger, and others are used as spices, including Galangal.
Accepted species
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Accepted hybrids
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Distribution
The genus Alpinia is native to the countries (and regions) of; Andaman Islands, Assam, Bangladesh, Bismarck Archipelago, Bonin Islands, Borneo, Cambodia, Caroline Islands, southern China, East Himalaya, Fiji, Hainan, India, Japan, Java, Laos, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Maluku Islands, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Nicobar Islands, Philippines, Queensland, Ryukyu Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Vanuatu, Vietnam and Volcano Islands.[5]
Ecology
Most Alpinia are plants of forest understory habitat. Most are pollinated by large bees, but some are pollinated by birds and bats.[3]
Uses
According to a research team of National Chung Hsing University, Alpinia was found to have anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, anti-tumor and other effects.[6]
Gallery
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Alpinia hainanensis "Shengzhen" from Flower View
See also
References
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- ↑ a b c Alpinia. Flora of China.
- ↑ a b c Alpinia. Flora of North America.
- ↑ a b c Kress, W. J., et al. (2005). "The molecular phylogeny of Alpinia (Zingiberaceae): a complex and polyphyletic genus of gingers". American Journal of Botany 92(1), 167-78.
- ↑ Victório, C. P. (2011). "Therapeutic value of the genus Alpinia, Zingiberaceae". Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 21(1), 194-201.
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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