Alpinia

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Alpinia

Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Zingiberales
Family:	Zingiberaceae
Subfamily:	Alpinioideae
Tribe:	Alpinieae
Genus:	Alpinia L.

Species

See text.

Alpinia is a rather large genus of plants, with more than 230 species from the Ginger family (Zingiberaceae).

DNA sequence-based methods (See : References) have shown that this genus is polyphyletic. It is represented by six clades distributed across the tribe Alpinieae, that do not correspond to Smith's (1990) classification of the genus (See : References). Further research is needed to specify the taxa in this genus.

They occur in tropical and subtropical climates of Asia and the Pacific, and are in great demand as ornamentals because of their flashy flowers.

These plants grow from large rhizomes. The stem consists of closely folded blades, such as in banana trees. The flowers grow on long racemes.

[edit] Ethnomedical Uses

Alpinia galanga is a commonly used species, with similar use and flavor to Kaempferia galaga.

The rhizome is used to create a tincture that is applied topically to treat fungal skin infections.

The rhizome is taken orally to enhance digestion, treat intestinal infection, Type II Diabetes, bronchitis, rheumatism, and as an aphrodesiac

[edit] Species

Common species:

Alpinia abundiflora
Alpinia acrostachya
Alpinia caerulea - Australian Native Ginger
Alpinia conchigera - Lesser Alpinia
Alpinia emaculata
Alpinia galanga - Greater Galingal
Alpinia javanica - Javanese Alpinia
Alpinia melanocarpa - Black-fruited Alpinia
Alpinia mutica - Small Shell Ginger, Orchid Ginger, Narrow-leaved Alpinia
Alpinia nutans - Dwarf Cardamon, Ginger Lily, Shell Ginger
Alpinia officinarum - Lesser Galangal, Chinese Ginger
Alpinia petiolata - Stalked-leaved Alpinia
Alpinia purpurata - Red Ginger, Ostrich Plume, Jungle Queen, Pink Cone Ginger
Alpinia pyramidata - Java Galangal
Alpinia rafflesiana - Raffles' Alpinia
Alpinia speciosa - Shellflower, Shellplant
Alpinia striata
Alpinia zerumbet - Golden Lotus, Shell Ginger)
Alpinia zingiberina

Less common species:

Alpinia acuminata
Alpinia aenea
Alpinia affinis
Alpinia agiokuensis
Alpinia alata
Alpinia albertisii
Alpinia albipurpurea
Alpinia allugas
Alpinia amentacea
Alpinia angustifolia
Alpinia annabellae
Alpinia antillarum
Alpinia apoensis
Alpinia aquatica
Alpinia arctiflora
Alpinia arfakensis
Alpinia arundelliana
Alpinia assimilis
Alpinia athroantha
Alpinia aurantiaca
Alpinia auriculata
Alpinia bambusifolia
Alpinia beamanii
Alpinia biakensis
Alpinia bicalyculata
Alpinia bifida
Alpinia bilamellata
Alpinia bisculata
Alpinia blepharocalyx
Alpinia blumei
Alpinia boia
Alpinia boninsimensis
Alpinia borneensis
Alpinia borraginoides
Alpinia brachyantha
Alpinia brachypoda
Alpinia bracteata
Alpinia brevilabris
Alpinia brevis
Alpinia brevituba
Alpinia burkillii
Alpinia calcarata
Alpinia calcicola
Alpinia calycodes
Alpinia campanaria
Alpinia cannaefolium
Alpinia capitellata
Alpinia cardamomum-medium
Alpinia carinata
Alpinia carnea
Alpinia carolinensis
Alpinia celebica
Alpinia cernua
Alpinia chaunocolea
Alpinia chinensis
Alpinia chrysorachis
Alpinia coerulea
Alpinia coeruleo-viridis
Alpinia colossea
Alpinia comosa
Alpinia condensata
Alpinia conferta
Alpinia congesta
Alpinia conghuaensis
Alpinia conglomerata
Alpinia copelandii
Alpinia corallina
Alpinia coriacea
Alpinia coriandriodora
Alpinia cornu-cervi
Alpinia cristata
Alpinia crocodocalyx
Alpinia cumingii
Alpinia cylindrocephala
Alpinia dasystachys
Alpinia decurva
Alpinia decurvata
Alpinia dekockii
Alpinia densespictata
Alpinia densibractetata
Alpinia densiflora
Alpinia diffissa
Alpinia divaricata
Alpinia dolichocephala
Alpinia domatifera
Alpinia dyeri
Alpinia edanoi
Alpinia elmeri
Alpinia elwesii
Alpinia engleriana
Alpinia eremochlamys
Alpinia eremochlamys
Alpinia euastra
Alpinia eubractea
Alpinia eustales
Alpinia exostylis
Alpinia flabellata
Alpinia flava
Alpinia flexistamen
Alpinia fluvitialis
Alpinia formosana
Alpinia foxworthyi
Alpinia fraseriana
Alpinia fusiformis
Alpinia gagnepainii
Alpinia gigantea
Alpinia glabra
Alpinia glabrescens
Alpinia glacicaerulea
Alpinia globosa
Alpinia gracilis
Alpinia gracillima
Alpinia graminea
Alpinia grandiceps
Alpinia grandis
Alpinia guinanensis
Alpinia haenkei
Alpinia hagena
Alpinia hainanensis
Alpinia hamiltoniana
Alpinia hansenii
Alpinia havilandii
Alpinia hemsleyanan
Alpinia henryi
Alpinia hibinoi
Alpinia himantoglossa
Alpinia hirsuta
Alpinia hokutensis
Alpinia homeana
Alpinia hookeriana
Alpinia hulstijnii
Alpinia humilis
Alpinia hylandii
Alpinia illustris
Alpinia intermedia
Alpinia involucrata
Alpinia iriomotensis
Alpinia janowskii
Alpinia japonica
Alpinia jianganfeng
Alpinia jingxiensis
Alpinia kainantensis
Alpinia katsumadae
Alpinia kelungensis
Alpinia kermesina
Alpinia kiungensis
Alpinia kiushiana
Alpinia koidzumiana
Alpinia korthalsii
Alpinia koshunensis
Alpinia kumatahe
Alpinia kusshakuensis
Alpinia kwangsiensis
Alpinia laosensis
Alpinia latilabris
Alpinia lauterbachii
Alpinia laxiflora
Alpinia laxisecunda
Alpinia leptostachya
Alpinia ligulata
Alpinia linguiformis
Alpinia longepetiola
Alpinia luteo-carpa
Alpinia maclurei
Alpinia maclurei
guangdongensis
Alpinia macrantha
Alpinia macrocarpa
Alpinia macrocephala
Alpinia macroscaphis
Alpinia macrostemon
Alpinia macroura
Alpinia maculata
Alpinia malaccensis
Alpinia malaccensis nobilis
Alpinia manii
Alpinia manostachys
Alpinia martinii
Alpinia maxii
Alpinia mediomaculata
Alpinia menghaiensis
Alpinia mesanthera
Alpinia microlophon
Alpinia missionis
Alpinia modesta
Alpinia mollis
Alpinia mollissima
Alpinia molucana
Alpinia monopleura
Alpinia multispicata
Alpinia murdochii
Alpinia musaefedia
Alpinia myriocratera
Alpinia nanchuanensis
Alpinia napoensis
Alpinia neesana
Alpinia nidus-vespae
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii
Alpinia novae-hiberniae
Alpinia novae-pommeraniae
Alpinia nupiocratera
Alpinia oblongifolia
Alpinia oceanica
Alpinia odontonema
Alpinia oligantha
Alpinia orchioides
Alpinia orthostachys
Alpinia ovata
Alpinia ovoidocarpa
Alpinia oxymitra
Alpinia oxyphylla
Alpinia padacanca
Alpinia pahangensis
Alpinia papuana
Alpinia parviflora
Alpinia pectinata
Alpinia penduliflora
Alpinia penicillata
Alpinia philippinensis
Alpinia phoenicea
Alpinia pininga
Alpinia pinnanensis
Alpinia platychilus
Alpinia plectophylla
Alpinia plumieri
Alpinia polyantha
Alpinia porphyrea
Alpinia porphyrocarpa
Alpinia porrecta
Alpinia pricei
Alpinia psilogyna
Alpinia pterocalyx
Alpinia ptychanthera
Alpinia pulcherrima
Alpinia pumila
Alpinia punicea
Alpinia quadriloba
Alpinia racimigera
Alpinia racemosa
Alpinia rafflesiana
Alpinia rechingeri
Alpinia regia
Alpinia reticosa
Alpinia rheedii
Alpinia rigida
Alpinia rolfei
Alpinia romblonensis
Alpinia romburghiana
Alpinia rosacea
Alpinia roscoeana
Alpinia rosea
Alpinia rosella
Alpinia roxburghii
Alpinia rubella
Alpinia rubra
Alpinia rubricaulis
Alpinia rubromaculata
Alpinia salamonensis
Alpinia samoensis
Alpinia sanderae
lpinia sandsii
Alpinia sasakii
Alpinia satsumensis
Alpinia schultzei
Alpinia schumanniana
Alpinia secunda
Alpinia secundiflora
Alpinia seimundii
Alpinia sericea
Alpinia sericiflora
Alpinia serrulata
Alpinia shimadae
Alpinia siamensis
Alpinia sibuyanensis
Alpinia silvicola
Alpinia simsii
Alpinia singuliflora
Alpinia smithiae
Alpinia spicata
Alpinia squarrosa
Alpinia stachyodes
Alpinia stapfiana
Alpinia stenobracteolata
Alpinia stenostachys
Alpinia strobilacea
Alpinia strobiliformis
Alpinia subfusicarpa
Alpinia submutica
Alpinia subspicata
Alpinia subverticillata
Alpinia suishaensis
Alpinia takaminei
Alpinia tamacuensis
Alpinia tomentosa
Alpinia tonkinensis
Alpinia tonrokuensis
Alpinia trachyascus
Alpinia tricolor
Alpinia tubulata
Alpinia unilateralis
Alpinia uraiensis
Alpinia uviformis
Alpinia valetoniana
Alpinia vanoverberghii
Alpinia velutina
Alpinia versicolor
Alpinia viridiflora
Alpinia vittata
Alpinia vitiensis
Alpinia vulcanica
Alpinia walang
Alpinia warburgii
Alpinia wenzelii
Alpinia werneri
Alpinia womerslyi
Alpinia wrayi

Shell Ginger (fruit dehiscing)

Shell Ginger (flowers)

Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)

[edit] References

Smith, R.M. (1990) "Alpinia (Zingiberaceae): a proposed new infrageneric classification". Edinburgh Journal of Botany 47(1): 37, fig. 6B.
W. John Kress, Ai-Zhong Liu, Mark Newman and Qing-Jun Li - The molecular phylogeny of Alpinia (Zingiberaceae): a complex and polyphyletic genus of gingers; American Journal of Botany; 2005; 92:167-178