A flora of Manila - Rainforestation

ZINGIBERACEAE 157
bracteate spike, the bracts oblonp: to obovate oi* lanceolate, usually imbricate,
persistent, each with from one to several flowers. Calyx tubular
and 3-toothed, sometimes split down one side, much shorter than the very
slender corolla-tube. Corolla-lobes linear, spreading; or reflexed. Staminodes
broad and petaloid, often much wider than the petals. Lip large,
often suborbicular, 2-lobed at the apex, usually much larger than the petals
and staminodes. Filament elongated. Ovary 3-celled. Capsule 3-valved,
globose to oblong. Seeds numerous, small, arillate. (Greek "sweet" and
"snow," in allusion to the fragrant white flowers.)
Species about 40, India to Malaya, 2 in the Philippines.
1. H. CORONARIUM Koenig. Camia (Sp.-Fil.).
Erect, 0.4 to 1 m in height. Leaves glabrous or the lower surface somewhat
pilose, oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, slenderly acuminate, 10 to 50
cm long, 3 to 11 cm wide, the ligule prominent, 1 to 3 cm long. Spike
ellipsoid, 5 to 12 cm long, thick, the bracts green, ovate to obovate, rounded
or acute, about 4 cm long, each with 2 or 3 flowers. Flowers very fragrant.
Calyx tubular, cleft on one side, about 4' cm long. Corolla-tube slender,
8 cm long, the lobes narrow, involute, about 4 cm long. Lip obcordate or
obovate, white, p^le-yellow in the center, 5 to 6 cm in diameter. Staminodes
white, oblong-elliptic, obtuse, narrowed at the base, 4 to 5 cm long and 2
to 2.5 cm wide.
Very commonly 'cultivated, fl. June-Dec; widely distributed in the
Philippines, cultivated and naturalized. A native of India, now cultivated
or spontaneous in most tropical countries.
3. KAEMPFERIA Linnaeus
Small stemless herbs from aromatic tuberous rootstocks, or sometimes
with short stems. Leaves few, suborbicular to ovate or lanceolate, basal-
Inflorescence spicate, few-flowered, shortly peduncled, erect, with few lanceolate
bracts. Flowers white or violet, of short duration. Calyx membranaceous,
tubular or clavate, sometimes split down one side. Corollatube
slender, the lobes narrow, linear. Lip large, 2-lobed. Staminodes
large, clawed, rounded, spreading. Stamen thin, flat, not exserted; anther
narrow, crested. Ovary 3-celled. Capsule oblong, thin-walled. (In honor
of E. Kaempfer, an early Dutch physician and botanist.)
Species about 55, tropical Asia and Malaya, 2 in the Philippines.
1. K. GALANGA L. Dusol, Gusol (Tag.).
A glabrous stemless herb from tuberous aromatic rootstocks. Leaves
two, horizontally spreading, orbicular to broadly ovate, acute, obtuse, or
broadly acuminate, 7 to 15 cm long, base rounded. Flowers few, 4 to 6 or
more, pink, the bracts lanceolate, about 3.5 cm long. Corolla-tube slender,
2.5 to 3 cm long, the lip cleft to the middle, about 2.5 cm wide, white or
pale-pink spotted with violet. Staminodes obovate, about 1.2 cm long.
Staminal-crest quadrate, 2-lobed.
Not common in cultivation in Manila, fl. July-Aug.; widely distributed
in the Philippines, cultivated and spontaneous, certainly introduced. A
native of India, now widely spread in the eastern hemisphere, cultivated
and spontaneous.
4. CURCUMA Linnaeus
Erect herbs from aromatic, fleshy rootstocks. Leaves distichous, oblong
to oblong-elliptic or obovate, usually tufted. Spikes dense, peduncled,