''Alpinia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the ginger family,

Zingiberaceae Zingiberaceae () or the ginger family is a family of flowering plants made up of about 50 genera with a total of about 1600 known species of aromatic perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes distributed throughout tropical ...

. Species are native to Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, where they occur in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

climates.''Alpinia''.
Flora of China. Several species are cultivated as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

s.''Alpinia''.
Flora of North America.

Taxonomy

The genus was erected by the Scottish botanist

William Roxburgh William Roxburgh FRSE FRCPE Linnean Society of London, FLS (3/29 June 1751 – 18 February 1815) was a Scottish people, Scottish surgeon and botanist who worked extensively in India, describing species and working on economic botany. He is known ...

in 1810, and published in the journal Asiatic Researches. It is named after

Prospero Alpini Prospero Alpini (also known as Prosper Alpinus, Prospero Alpinio and Latinized as Prosperus Alpinus) (23 November 15536 February 1617) was a Venetian physician and botanist. He travelled around Egypt and served as the fourth prefect in charge of ...

, a 17th-century Italian botanist who specialized in exotic plants. Species of the genus are known generally as shell gingers. File:Alpinia hainanensis ' Shengzhen' w2.jpg, ''Alpinia hainanensis'' 'Shengzhen' File:Alpinia hainanensis ' Shengzhen' 33.jpg, ''Alpinia hainanensis'' 'Shengzhen'

Description

These herbs lack true stems, but have pseudostems usually up to about long which are composed of the overlapping leaf sheaths. A few species have been known to reach .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. They grow from thick

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s. The leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

takes the form of a spike, a

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

, or a

raceme A raceme () or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate growth, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are ...

. It may be hooded in

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

s and bracteoles. The flower has a shallowly toothed

calyx CALYX, Inc. is a non-profit publisher of art and literature by women founded in 1976 based in Corvallis, Oregon. CALYX publishes both '' CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women'' twice a year and CALYX Books, which publishes one to three ...

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 The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

and two

staminode In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co ...

s, 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. The plants are generally aromatic due to their

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the ...

Species

This is the largest genus in the ginger family, with 248 species and 2 hybrids accepted by

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

. A number of those are commonly grown for their flowers, including red ginger, and others are used as spices, including

Galangal Galangal () is a rhizome of plants in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, with culinary and medicinal uses originating in Indonesia. It is one of four species in the genus ''Alpinia'', and is known for its pungent, aromatic flavor. Greater gal ...

Accepted species

*'' Alpinia abundiflora'' *'' Alpinia acuminata'' *''

Alpinia adana ''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.Alpinia aenea'' *'' Alpinia albipurpurea'' *'' Alpinia amentacea'' *'' Alpinia apoensis'' *'' Alpinia aquatica'' *'' Alpinia arctiflora'' *'' Alpinia arfakensis'' *''

Alpinia argentea ''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.Alpinia arundelliana'' *''

Alpinia asmy ''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.Alpinia assimilis ''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.Alpinia athroantha'' *''

Alpinia austrosinense ''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.Alpinia bambusifolia'' *'' Alpinia beamanii'' *'' Alpinia biakensis'' *'' Alpinia bodenii'' *'' Alpinia boia'' *'' Alpinia boninsimensis'' *'' Alpinia borraginoides'' *'' Alpinia brachyantha'' *'' Alpinia brevilabris'' *'' Alpinia breviligulata'' *'' Alpinia brevis'' *''

Alpinia caerulea ''Alpinia caerulea'', commonly known as native ginger or Australian ginger, is an understorey perennial herb in the family Zingiberaceae which grows in rainforest, gallery forest and wet sclerophyll forest in eastern Australia. Description ''A ...

'' *'' Alpinia calcarata'' *'' Alpinia calcicola'' *'' Alpinia calycodes'' *'' Alpinia capitellata'' *'' Alpinia carinata'' *'' Alpinia carolinensis'' *'' Alpinia celebica'' *'' Alpinia chaunocolea'' *'' Alpinia chinensis'' *'' Alpinia chrysorachis'' *'' Alpinia coeruleoviridis'' *'' Alpinia conchigera'' *'' Alpinia condensata'' *'' Alpinia conferta'' *'' Alpinia congesta'' *'' Alpinia conghuaensis'' *'' Alpinia conglomerata'' *'' Alpinia copelandii'' *'' Alpinia coriacea'' *'' Alpinia coriandriodora'' *''

Alpinia corneri ''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.Alpinia cumingii'' *'' Alpinia cylindrocephala'' *'' Alpinia dasystachys'' *'' Alpinia dekockii'' *''

Alpinia densibracteata ''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.Alpinia densiflora'' *''

Alpinia denticulata ''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.Alpinia diffissa'' *'' Alpinia divaricata'' *''

Alpinia diversifolia ''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.Alpinia domatifera'' *''

Alpinia elegans ''Alpinia elegans'' is a species of flowering plants in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is found in Asia (the Philippines, Indonesia). References ''Alpinia elegans''at The Plant List ''Alpinia elegans''at Tropicos Tropicos is an o ...

'' *'' Alpinia elmeri'' *'' Alpinia emaculata'' *''

Alpinia epiphytica ''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.Alpinia eremochlamys'' *'' Alpinia euastra'' *'' Alpinia eubractea'' *''

Alpinia fax ''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 tropics, tropical and subtropics, subtropical climates.Alpinia flabellata'' *''

Alpinia flagellaris ''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.Alpinia formosana'' *'' Alpinia foxworthyi'' *'' Alpinia fusiformis'' *'' Alpinia gagnepainii'' *''

Alpinia galanga ''Alpinia galanga'', a plant in the ginger family, bears a rhizome used largely as an herb in Unani medicine and as a spice in Southeast Asian cookery. It is one of four plants known as "galangal". Its common names include greater galangal, le ...

'' *'' Alpinia gigantea'' *'' Alpinia glabra'' *'' Alpinia glabrescens'' *'' Alpinia glacicaerulea'' *'' Alpinia globosa'' *'' Alpinia gracillima'' *'' Alpinia graminea'' *'' Alpinia guinanensis'' *'' Alpinia haenkei'' *'' Alpinia hagena'' *'' Alpinia hainanensis'' *'' Alpinia hansenii'' *'' Alpinia havilandii'' *'' Alpinia hibinoi'' *'' Alpinia himantoglossa'' *'' Alpinia hirsuta'' *''

Alpinia hoangviet ''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.Alpinia hongiaoensis ''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.Alpinia horneana ''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 tropics, tropical and subtropics, subtropical climates.Alpinia hulstijnii'' *'' Alpinia hylandii'' *'' Alpinia illustris'' *''

Alpinia inaequalis ''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.Alpinia intermedia'' *'' Alpinia janowskii'' *'' Alpinia japonica'' *'' Alpinia javanica'' *'' Alpinia jianganfeng'' *'' Alpinia jingxiensis'' *''

Alpinia juliformis ''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.Alpinia kawakamii ''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.Alpinia kiungensis'' *''

Alpinia klossii ''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.Alpinia koidzumiana'' *'' Alpinia koshunensis'' *'' Alpinia kusshakuensis'' *'' Alpinia kwangsiensis'' *''

Alpinia lalashanensis ''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.Alpinia laosensis'' *'' Alpinia latilabris'' *'' Alpinia lauterbachii'' *'' Alpinia laxisecunda'' *'' Alpinia leptostachya'' *'' Alpinia ligulata'' *''

Alpinia ludwigiana ''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.Alpinia maclurei'' *'' Alpinia macrocephala'' *''

Alpinia macrocrista ''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.Alpinia macroscaphis'' *''

Alpinia macrostaminodia ''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.Alpinia macrostephana ''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.Alpinia macroura'' *'' Alpinia malaccensis'' *'' Alpinia manii'' *'' Alpinia manostachys'' *''

Alpinia martini ''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.Alpinia maxii'' *''

Alpinia melichroa ''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.

Ecology

Most ''Alpinia'' are plants of forest understory habitat. Most are pollination, pollinated by large bees, but some are pollinated by birds and bats.

Uses

According to a research team of National Chung Hsing University, ''Alpinia'' was found to have anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, anti-tumor and other effects.

Gallery

File:Alpinia Calcarata.jpg, ''Alpinia Calcarata'' File:Alpinia galanga2.JPG, ''

'' File:Alpinia caerulea fruit.jpg, ''

'' File:Alpinia calcarata.jpg, '' Alpinia calcarata'' File:月桃.jpg, ''Alpinia zerumbet'' File:Alpinia purpurata Martnique.jpg, ''Alpinia purpurata'' File:Alpinia hainanensis ' Shengzhen' 22.jpg, ''Alpinia hainanensis'' "Shengzhen" from Flower View

References

{{Authority control Alpinia, Zingiberaceae genera