Hedychium spicatum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Zingiberales

Familia: Zingiberaceae
Subfamilia: Zingiberoideae
Tribus: Zingibereae
Genus: Hedychium
Species: Hedychium spicatum
Varieties: H. spicatum var. acuminatum
Name

Hedychium spicatum Buch.-Ham.
References

A. Rees, Cycl. 17: Hedychium no. 3. 1819
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. [1]

Hedyosmum burgerianum is a species of plant in the Chloranthaceae family. It is endemic to Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss. Originates in Panama, confined to a narrow altitudinal range between 1,500 and 1,900 m. The populations are large in certain places. The species of plant is named after William Carl Burger, who has made valuable contributions to the study of this genus.[2]
Description

The plant is from the Plantae Kingdom, its a Phylum Tracheophyta. It's a flowering plant, Subphylum Angiospermaeand is in the dicots class Magnoliopsida and belongs to the Genus of the Hedyosmum. [3] The tree can grow up to 10 m tall, that are dry dark with slender twigs. Leaves that are oval shaped and are 3-4 cm long and 1-2 cm wide with ascending notch with 3-4 teeth on each on each side. The costa plant is above, slightly elevated beneath, leaf costa is mostly smooth beneath. The lateral veins are 6 on each side, drying discolors with a slaty dark brown and a reddish brown beneath. Petioles approximately 1 cm long and narrowly winged; the tubes becoming about 2 mm wide at the mouth and 4 mm long. The female inflorescences terminal has 1-3 arising from within the leaf sheaths; peduncles to 2 cm, slender, the flowers on dichasia, the terminal flower about 2 mm long, Flowers with the style linear and 3- angled basally, elaborated distally, 2 mm long. Fruits usually with 3 unobtrusive pores. [4]
References

Mitré, M. (1998). "Hedyosmum burgerianum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T32894A9733377. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32894A9733377.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
D'Arcy, W. G.; Liesner, Ronald L. (1981). "Hedyosmum (Chloranthaceae) in Panama". Systematic Botany. 6 (1): 74–86. doi:10.2307/2418637. ISSN 0363-6445.
"Hedyosmum burgerianum". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
D'Arcy, W. G.; Liesner, Ronald L. (1981). "Hedyosmum (Chloranthaceae) in Panama". Systematic Botany. 6 (1): 74–86. doi:10.2307/2418637. ISSN 0363-6445.

Hedychium spicatum is a plant species native to China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan), the Himalayas, Myanmar, Thailand and Ethiopia.[1][2]

Hedychium spicatum is a small, hardy perennial that grows to around 1 m (3 ft 3 in), with green leaves and large orange and white flowers. It is also commonly known as spiked ginger lily, or perfume ginger.
Uses


The Indian medicinal system (Ayurveda) described the species as having pungent, light, bitter, strong, heating properties. The species is also an ingredient of some traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), traditional Tibetan medicine and Unani medicine. The powder and decoction of the rhizome are used for a variety of conditions. The rhizome is also chewed by the inhabitants of Uttarakhand to clean their mouths and freshen their breath.

The fruit of this species may be cooked and eaten with lentils in savoury dishes. Crushed rhizomes, both fresh and dried, are very aromatic with a fragrant, somewhat pungent smell similar to orris root but more powerful. In Manipur, the rhizome is cooked to prepare chutney.

"Abir", a fragrant coloured powder marketed for religious ceremonies, is prepared from its dried rhizomes. In Himachal Pradesh, leaves are used in making mats for the home, combined with wheat straw, enhancing the durability of the product. The aromatic dried root of this plant is often used as an incense in Ethiopia. The essential oil has a fragrance somewhat like hyacinths with a long-lasting scent.
References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Flora of China v 24 p 373, 草果药 cao guo yao, Hedychium spicatum Smith in Rees, Cycl. 17: Hedychium no. 3. 1811.