Zingiber striolatum

PICTURE

Horticulture

Perennial

Nomenclature/History

Commonly called ginger.

Botany

Rhizomes white, slightly fragrant. Pseudostems 1–1.5 m. Ligule brown striped, 2-lobed, 4–7 mm, membranous; petiole 0.8–1.2 cm; leaf blade lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 25–35 × 3–6 cm, abaxially glabrous or sparsely villous, base attenuate, apex caudate. Inflorescences arising from rhizomes, subovoid; peduncle 1.5–2 cm or longer, scalelike sheaths 2 or 3; bracts red, broadly ovate or elliptic, 3.5–5 cm, pubescent. Calyx ca. 5 cm, membranous. Corolla tube white, 4–6 cm; lobes white or yellowish with purplish brown stripes, oblong-lanceolate, 3–3.5 cm. Labellum pale purple, obovate, ca. 3 × 2.6 cm; lateral lobes ca. 5 mm. Filament very short; anther lanceolate, ca. 1.5 cm; connective appendage ca. 1.5 cm. Capsule ca. 3.5 cm, loculicidally dehiscent; pericarp red inside. Seeds black; aril white. Fl. Jul–Oct, fr. Sep–Dec. 2 n = 22*. Perennial.