pink porcelain lily

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Shell Ginger
• light galangal
• pink porcelain-lily
• shell-ginger
• shellflower
• Shell-flower
• pink porcelain lily
• shell plant

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Languas schumanniana
• Renealmia nutans
• Alpinia schumanniana
• Alpinia fimbriata
• Costus zerumbet
• Zerumbet speciosum
• Catimbium speciosum
• Alpinia speciosa var. longiramosa
• Renealmia spectabilis
• Alpinia nutans var. longiramosa
• Alpinia penicillata
• Alpinia oceanica
• Alpinia engleriana
• Alpinia cristata
• Alpinia fluvitialis
• Guillainia rechingeri
• Amomum nutans
• Languas speciosa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Alpinia zerumbet, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Zingiberales and the family Zingiberaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is completed within the genus Alpinia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several oceanic regions and continental areas. Within the Macaronesia archipelago, it can be found growing in both the Azores and the Canary Islands. Its presence extends into the Middle Atlantic Ocean, specifically on the islands of Ascension and Saint Helena. Additionally, the species is documented in the mainland regions of China, particularly within China South-Central. These varied locations highlight its ability to inhabit both isolated island ecosystems and larger landmasses.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Alpinia zerumbet is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant adaptability to various environments, particularly showing a presence within anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópicamente), where it can integrate into human-modified landscapes and disturbed habitats. Its distribution across these elevations and its capacity to inhabit human-influenced zones suggest a resilient ecological profile capable of enduring diverse microclimates and varying degrees of environmental modification.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Alpinia zerumbet is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it relies on underground storage organs to survive unfavorable conditions, and its biological classification as a cryptophyte further reflects this reliance on protected, subterranean structures for its long-term survival. Throughout its life cycle, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present across different seasonal shifts.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Alpinia zerumbet is characterized by a non-woody growth form, functioning as a terrestrial herb and forb. This species is an independent, non-parasitic plant that grows in a self-supporting manner, exhibiting an erect shoot orientation without the need for climbing structures like lianas or vines. As a terrestrial organism, it does not exhibit epiphytic or aquatic tendencies. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with a height ranging from a minimum of 2 m to a maximum of 3 m, maintaining a mean plant height of approximately 2.25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

2.25 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Alpinia zerumbet is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic carbon fixation processes. The plant exhibits a non-succulent morphology, lacking specialized water-storage tissues in its foliage. Its leaves are elliptic in form, reaching significant dimensions with a maximum length of 75 cm and a maximum width of 15 cm. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to support its nutritional requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

75 cm

Leaf width max:

15 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Alpinia zerumbet is characterized by bisexual flowers arranged in a paniculate inflorescence, which can reach a maximum length of 0.4 meters. These flowers, which exhibit a red color, typically measure up to 5 cm in length. The flowering period is quite extensive and variable, beginning around April and continuing through October. The plant follows a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects for the transfer of pollen, and self-fertilization is noted as being absent. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fleshy fruits that contain a significant number of seeds, ranging from 11 to 100 seeds per fruit, with an average seed mass of 0.015 g. The dispersal of these seeds is categorized under an unspecialized syndrome, though it also exhibits anthropochorous traits, indicating that human activity plays a role in its movement and spread.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

red

Flower length max:

5 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Inflorescence :

panicle

Inflorescence length max:

0.4 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass mean:

0.015 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Alpinia zerumbet has 5 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, rhizome, seed, flower.

Leaf

1. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology
2. Fitoterapia
3. Natural product communications
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Fruit

1. Lifestyle genomics
2. Fitoterapia
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Rhizome

1. International journal of molecular medicine
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Seed

1. Fitoterapia
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flower

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Alpinia zerumbet has 19 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, 1,8-Cineole, 5,6-Dehydrokawain, CHLOROPHYLL B, Dihydro-5,6-dehydrokavain.

Flavonoids

1. Lifestyle genomics
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in plant science

1,8-Cineole

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. European journal of pharmacology

5,6-Dehydrokawain

1. Nutrients
2. Fitoterapia

CHLOROPHYLL B

1. Frontiers in plant science

Dihydro-5,6-dehydrokavain

1. Fitoterapia

Dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain

1. Nutrients

Epicatechin

1. Fitoterapia

Fatty acids

1. Nutrients

HEA

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Kaempferol 3-O-glucuronide

1. Natural product communications

Activities

Alpinia zerumbet has 12 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, Diuretic, Antidepressant, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Lifestyle genomics
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Nutrients
4. Journal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihypertensive

1. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology
2. Lifestyle genomics
3. Pharmaceutical biology

Diuretic

1. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Antidepressant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. ACS infectious diseases

Antiobesity

1. Lifestyle genomics

Antipyretic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiulcerogenic

1. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology

Anxiolytic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypolipidemic

1. Lifestyle genomics

Medicinal Uses

Alpinia zerumbet has 21 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, antihypertensive.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations