Alpinia mutica
Alpinia mutica, commonly known as the "Dancing Plant," is a striking perennial herb prized for its unique, pendulous flowers. Beyond its ornamental beauty, this species holds significant value in traditional medicine. Researchers explore its bioactive compounds for potential therapeutic properties, highlighting its importance in ethnobotany and natural pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Alpinia mutica
- Family: Zingiberaceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls into the order Zingiberales and the family Zingiberaceae. It is specifically identified by 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 mutica, is known by various common names depending on the region and language. In Vietnamese, it is referred to as Riềng lá hẹp, while in Chinese, it is commonly called 马来良姜 (mǎlái liángjiāng) or 钝山姜 (dùnshānjiāng). Specifically, the name 马来良姜 is used in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw) as 馬來良薑 to denote this medicinal species.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| vi | Riềng lá hẹp | Wikidata |
| zh | 马来良姜 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 马来良姜 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 馬來良薑 | Wikidata |
| zh | 钝山姜 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several key tropical regions in Asia. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in India. Its presence extends into Indo-China, where it inhabits Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Additionally, the species is located within the Malesia region, specifically on the island of Borneo. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where the species thrives.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Borneo | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
| Malesia | Malaya | WCVP |
| Malesia | Sulawesi | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Fiji | WCVP |
| North-Central Pacific | Hawaii | WCVP |
Chemicals
Alpinia mutica has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5,6-dehydrokawain, flavokawin B, pinocembrin, pinostrobin.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 5,6-dehydrokawain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavokawin B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pinocembrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pinostrobin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Alpinia mutica has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |