Alpinia zerumbet
Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 31: 204. 1972.
Common names: Shellflower
IntroducedIllustrated
Basionym: Costus zerumbet Persoon Syn. Pl. 1: 3. 1805
Synonyms: Languas speciosum (J. C. Wendland) Small Zerumbet speciosum J. C. Wendland
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 22.
Illustrator:
Copyright:
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
Introduced; 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.