Alpinia flabellata
Alpinia flabellata, commonly known as the Fan-leafed Galangal, is a versatile medicinal plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family. Renowned for its potent bioactive compounds, it is widely used in traditional medicine to treat digestive ailments, inflammation, and respiratory issues, offering significant therapeutic potential in modern herbal pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Alpinia flabellata
- Family: Zingiberaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Zingiberales, falling into the family Zingiberaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Alpinia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Zingiberales | WCVP |
| Family | Zingiberaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Alpinia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Alpinia flabellaata, is known by various regional names depending on the language and location. In Chinese, it is referred to as 呂宋月桃, 扇状山姜, or 山姜, while in Taiwan, it is specifically called 呂宋月桃 (zh-tw). Additionally, in Japanese, the species is known as イリオモテクマタケラン.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 呂宋月桃 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 呂宋月桃 | Wikidata |
| ja | イリオモテクマタケラン | Wikidata |
| zh | 山姜 | Wikidata |
| zh | 扇状山姜 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in East and Southeast Asia. In Eastern Asia, its presence is noted within the Nansei-shotō islands. The species is also found naturally throughout Taiwan. Moving into the Malesia region, it can be located in the Philippines. Together, these locations define the known natural range of Alpinia flabellaata.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Malesia | Philippines | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Alpinia flabellata, is characterized by its distinct vegetative structures, most notably its large, vibrant leaves. These leaves are typically lanceolate or broadly elliptical in shape, providing a significant surface area for photosynthesis and contributing to the plant's lush, tropical appearance. In medicinal contexts, the chemical constituents found within the foliage are often studied for their potential therapeutic properties.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Alpinia flabellata has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid, 2,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid, 5-hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |