Alpinia zerumbet
Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 31: 204. 1972.
Common names: Shellflower
Basionym: Costus zerumbet Persoon
Synonyms: Languas speciosum (J. C. Wendland) Small Zerumbet speciosum J. C. Wendland
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 22.
Revision as of 15:56, 18 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer
Illustrator:
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Leaf blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, (20–)33–67 × (3–)7.5–11 cm. Inflorescences drooping, 15–30 × 6–10 cm; stalks of cincinni 0.3–3 cm, bracteoles sheathing, white proximally, pink distally. Flowers: lip yellow with red penciling, perianth and staminodes otherwise white or pink.
Phenology: Flowering spring–summer (May–Sep).
Habitat: Disturbed hammocks and thickets
Elevation: 0–30 m
Distribution
Fla., Central America, South America, native, Asia.
Discussion
Alpinia zerumbet is commonly cultivated, but rarely escapes. The illegitimate name Alpinia speciosa (J. C. Wendland) K. Schumann and Hollrung 1887 [(not A. speciosa (Blume) D. Dietrich 1839]) has often been used for this species.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.