Hellenia speciosa
| Crêpe ginger | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
| |
| Flower; Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra, India | |
_-_Bukidnon%252C_Philippines_01.jpg)
| |
| Foliage; Bukidnon, Philippines | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Costaceae |
| Genus: | Hellenia |
| Species: | H. speciosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hellenia speciosa (J.Koenig) S.R.Dutta
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Synonymy
| |
Hellenia speciosa, or crêpe ginger, is a species of flowering plant in the family Costaceae. It is a herbaceous perennial rhizomatous geophyte which is also known by Cheilocostus speciosus and other botanical names.[2]
It is native to southeast Asia and surrounding regions, from India to southern China, Taiwan, Indochina, Malesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Queensland.[2] It is especially common on the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is also reportedly naturalised in Puerto Rico, Mauritius, Réunion, Fiji, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, Melanesia, Micronesia, and the West Indies. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental.[3]
Description
Hellenia speciosa and other members of the Costaceae differ from gingers by having only one row of spirally arranged leaves. The species reproduces vegetatively by rhizome, and birds disperse the seeds when they feed on the fruits. The flowers have only two stamens, one is functional, with a single locule, while the other is petaloid, forming a white, bell-shaped trumpet around the fertile one. The true petals, also white, are small. The plant can reach 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in height.[4]
This plant is cultivated in South Asia and Southeast Asia for its medicinal uses, and is cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental. In some areas Hellenia speciosa is introduced and has become an invasive species.
Habitat
The species' habitat is low-lying areas in tropical forests and roadside ditches. Flowering starts after onset of the rainy season.
Ecology
Caterpillars of the restricted demon (Notocrypta curvifascia) feed on crêpe ginger.[5]
Human relevance
The plant has many historical uses in Ayurveda, where the rhizome has been used to treat fever, rash, asthma, bronchitis, and intestinal worms.[6] It is mentioned in the Kama Sutra as an ingredient in a cosmetic to be used on the eyelashes to increase sexual attractiveness. It is used to treat kidney problems and other urinary problems in Mizo Traditional Medicine. It was used as a traditional medicine by Malays when evil spirits have possessed a body,[7] as well as for the treatment of high fever, smallpox and as a purgative.[8]
The crêpe ginger is also a source of diosgenin, a compound used for the commercial production of various steroids, such as progesterone.[9]
Several parts of the plant are eaten, including the flowers, leaves, shoots, and rhizomes.[10][11][12]
Gallery
-
Bud -
Leaf from back side -
Transformation from flower to seeds -
Seeds -
Inflorescence after flowers died -
New leaf -
In Basse Terre, Guadeloupe -
-
New buds after winter -
_S.R.Dutta.jpg)
References
- ^ Poulsen, A.D.; van Caspel, P. (2020). "Cheilocostus speciosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T158548274A158548791. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T158548274A158548791.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hellenia speciosa (J.Koenig) S.R.Dutta". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ^ "Cheilocostus speciosus: info from PIER (PIER species info)". www.hear.org. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007.
- ^ Kuck, Lorraine E.; Tongg, Richard C. (1960). Hawaiian Flowers and Flowering Trees - A Guide to Tropical and Semitropical Flora. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co. pp. 136–137.
- ^ Kunte, K. (2006). "Additions to the known larval host plants of Indian butterflies". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 103 (1): 119–121.
- ^ "Crepe ginger (549)". Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides.
- ^ "Cheilocostus speciosus (J. Koenig) C. Specht". National Parks Flora & Fauna web. Government of Singapore.
- ^ Samy, Joseph (2005). Herbs of Malaysia. Times Editions. p. 85. ISBN 983-3001-79-3.
- ^ Schmelzer, Gaby; Gurib-Fakim, Ameenah; Arroo, Randolph; Bosch, C.H.; de Ruijter, A.; Simmonds, Monique; Lemmens, R.H.M.J.; Oyen, L.P.A. (2008). Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 11(1): Medicinal plants 1 (PDF). pp. 194–196. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Clay, Horace F.; Hubbard, James C. (1977). The Hawaiʻi Garden. Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii. pp. 206–207. ISBN 0-8248-0465-1.
- ^ Chan, Elisabeth (1998). Tropical plants of Malaysia & Singapore. Singapore: Periplus Editions. p. 10.
- ^ Abbasi, Arshad Mehmood; Bussmann, Rainer W. (2021). Ethnobiology of mountain communities in Asia (PDF). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. p. 53.
External links
Media related to Hellenia speciosa at Wikimedia Commons- Horticultural Info
- FloriData Info Page