Etlingera

Last updated

Etlingera
Etlingera elatior (Heredia).jpg
Etlingera elatior
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Zingiberaceae
Subfamily: Alpinioideae
Tribe: Alpinieae
Genus: Etlingera
Giseke, 1792
Species

100+, see text

Synonyms [1]
  • GeanthusReinw. 1828, illegitimate homonym, not Raf. 1814
  • DiracodesBlume
  • BojeriaRaf.
  • AchasmaGriff.
  • NicolaiaHoran.
  • PhaeomeriaLindl. ex K.Schum. in H.G.A.Engler

Etlingera is a genus of Indo-Pacific herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, consisting of more than 100 species found in tropical regions of the Old World. [2]

Contents

Some of the larger species have leafy shoots reaching almost 10 metres high, and the bases of these shoots are so stout as to seem almost woody. Others of the species grow as clumps of leafy shoots; while others have such long creeping rhizomes that each of their leafy shoots can be more than a metre apart. [2]

Unique and distinctive to all Etlingera is a tube forming above the point where the base of the flowers petals joins onto the plant (i.e. above the insertion of the corolla lobes). [2]

Distribution

Etlingera species are native to India, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Papua New Guinea, Queensland, and several Pacific Islands, predominantly close to the equator between sea level and 2500 metres. [2] [3] Members of the genus are also reportedly naturalized in other warm places (Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Central America, Mauritius, and the islands of the Gulf of Guinea. [1]

Species

The most commonly known species of Etlingera is the torch ginger ( E. elatior ), [2] also called the torch lily, porcelain rose, or Philippine waxflower because of its showy inflorescence. [2] The described species include:

Ethnobotany

Species of Etlingera are widely used for many different purposes and many of the species are therefore locally named and known.

A common use is to pull out and eat the inner sheathes of the leafy shoots of some species: to eat either raw, cooked as a vegetable, or as a condiment (much in the same way as onions are used as a condiment). E. coccinea (known as tuhau in Sabah; [4] no English name) and E. elatior (torch ginger) are especially cultivated for this purpose. [2]

The aromatic sweet and sour fruits are also commonly eaten. Several species are used as medicines to treat headaches or stomachaches. One species which itself has large distinctive red patches, (E. brevilabrumin), is commonly applied externally, to relieve itching and other skin problems. [2]

Other uses made of various Etlingera species include ingredients in local perfumes, ingredients in local shampoos, and making mats, etc. [2] In Borneo, a study of 40 species of Etlingera found more than 70% of these species had alternative local names, and more than 60% had at least one use amongst local peoples. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zingiberaceae</span> Family of plants

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 Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Many of the family's species are important ornamental, spice, or medicinal plants. Ornamental genera include the shell gingers (Alpinia), Siam or summer tulip, Globba, ginger lily (Hedychium), Kaempferia, torch-ginger Etlingera elatior, Renealmia, and ginger (Zingiber). Spices include ginger (Zingiber), galangal or Thai ginger, melegueta pepper, myoga, korarima, turmeric (Curcuma), and cardamom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginger</span> Species of plant used as a spice

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems about one meter tall, bearing narrow leaf blades. The inflorescences bear flowers having pale yellow petals with purple edges, and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Malaysia

Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.

<i>Alpinia zerumbet</i> Species of flowering plant

Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger among other names, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. The plants can grow up to 2.5 to 3 meters tall and bear colorful funnel-shaped flowers. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine.

<i>Etlingera elatior</i> Herbaceous perennial plant

Etlingera elatior is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the family Zingiberaceae; it is native to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and New Guinea.

<i>Mangifera caesia</i> Species of fruit and plant

Mangifera caesia is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. Known in English as jack or white mango, among other names. It belongs to the same genus as the mango and is widely cultivated in areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

<i>Kaempferia galanga</i> Species of flowering plant

Kaempferia galanga, commonly known as kencur, aromatic ginger, sand ginger, cutcherry, is a monocotyledonous plant in the ginger family, and one of four plants called galangal. It is found primarily in open areas in Indonesia, southern China, Taiwan, Cambodia, and India, but is also widely cultivated throughout Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West African cuisine</span> Overview of the cuisine of West Africa

West African cuisine encompasses a diverse range of foods that are split between its 16 countries. In West Africa, many families grow and raise their own food, and within each there is a division of labor. Indigenous foods consist of a number of plant species and animals, and are important to those whose lifestyle depends on farming and hunting.

<i>Etlingera fulgens</i> Species of flowering plant

Etlingera fulgens is a species of herbaceous perennial plant of the family Zingiberaceae. This species occurs in southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia. E. fulgens is used as an ornamental plant in landscape gardens for its bright red flowers and young leaves.

The cuisine of Christmas Island can best be described as an eclectic combination of traditional Australian cuisine and Asian cuisine, particularly meals from Malaysia and Indonesia.

1,7-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one is a natural product, a curcuminoid antioxidant found in turmeric and torch ginger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambal</span> Indonesian spicy relish or sauce

Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. Sambal is an Indonesian loanword of Javanese origin. It originated from the culinary traditions of Indonesia and is also an integral part of the cuisines of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Sri Lanka. It has also spread through overseas Indonesian populations to the Netherlands and Suriname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarawakian cuisine</span> Regional cuisine of Malaysia

Sarawakian cuisine is a regional cuisine of Malaysia. Like the rest of Malaysian cuisine, Sarawak food is based on staples such as rice. There is also a great variety of other ingredients and food preparations due to the influence of the state's varied geography and indigenous cultures quite distinct from the regional cuisines of the Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is famous for its multi-ethnic population. As the homeland of many unique communities, Sarawak has a variety of cuisines rarely found elsewhere in Malaysia. The uniqueness of Sarawak well depends on its ethnic groups. Every native group in Sarawak has their own lifestyle, traditions, cultures and also foods. Sarawak cuisine is less spicy and has a subtle in taste. It uses fresh seafood and natural herbs like turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, lime and tapioca leaves. These ingredients are not only easily available, but also add a hint of aroma, texture and freshness to the delicacies. Food is one of the most cultural identities for native groups in Sarawak with each ethnic group having their own delicacies. Among the Iban, popular foods include tubu (stems), tuak and pansuh. The Malay have bubur pedas (porridge) and kek lapis Sarawak ; the Bidayuh have asam siok and sup ponas Bidayuh. The Melanau make tebaloi, sagu and umai and the Orang Ulu are known for garam barrio, kikid (broth), tengayen, and urum giruq (pudding).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabahan cuisine</span> Regional cuisine of Malaysia

Sabahan cuisine is a regional cuisine of Malaysia. As in the rest of Malaysian cuisine, Sabah food is based on staples such as rice with a great variety of other ingredients and different methods of food preparations due to the influence of the state's varied geography and indigenous cultures that were quite distinct from the regional cuisines of the Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah along with its neighbour of Sarawak is famous for their multi-ethnic population.

<i>Calliteara horsfieldii</i> Species of moth

Calliteara horsfieldii, or Horsfield's tussock moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by the British entomologist Edward Saunders in 1851, and named in honor of the British naturalist Thomas Horsfield, who traveled southern Asia and published works on zoology from the region. C. horsfieldii can be found in southern Asia, the islands of the northern Indian Ocean, and many parts of south east Asia and Indonesia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yellow Tussock Moth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakurab</span>

Sakurab is either a relative of the scallion or a white variant of the wild leek. There have been journals discussing its growth patterns and potential usage as an ingredient in a healthy beverage with evidence to support either view. It is a traditional food seasoning in the Philippines, used in the traditional cuisines in the islands of Mindanao and the Visayas where it is commonly known as sibujing.

Rosemary Margaret Smith (1933–2004) was a Scottish botanist and illustrator who specialized in the taxonomy of the Zingiberaceae, or ginger family. Many of the species she classified and identified as being placed into improper genera were found in Asian countries, especially in the isolated island of Borneo.

References

  1. 1 2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 POULSEN, Axel Dalberg (2006) Etlingera of Borneo Archived 2011-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Natural History Publications (Borneo). Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. ISBN   983-812-117-7.
  3. Flora of China v 24 p 356, 茴香砂仁属 hui xiang sha ren shu, Etlingera Giseke, Prael. Ord. Nat. Pl. 209. 1792.
  4. Sambal Tuhau: Sabah local dishes Archived 2017-07-05 at the Wayback Machine , Zezebel Ubil