Philippine Waxflower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Philippine Waxflower
• Porcelain Rose
• Siam Rose
• Torch Ginger
• Torch Lily
• torch-ginger

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cardamomum magnificum
• Cardamomum speciosum
• Bojeria magnifica
• Alpinia speciosa
• Amomum tridentatum
• Nicolaia speciosa
• Phaeomeria speciosa
• Cardamomum tridentatum
• Alpinia acrostachya
• Alpinia magnifica
• Alpinia elatior
• Elettaria speciosa
• Diracodes javanica
• Etlingera elatior var. alba
• Nicolaia magnifica
• Phaeomeria magnifica
• Nicolaia elatior
• Nicolaia imperialis
• Nicolaia intermedia
• Etlingera elatior var. pileng
• Hornstedtia imperialis
• Amomum magnificum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Zingiberales, falling into the family Zingiberaceae. Specifically, it is a member of the genus Etlingera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning multiple tropical regions across the globe. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically around the Gulf of Guinea islands. Its presence extends into the Western Indian Ocean, where it inhabits both Comoros and Mauritius. Within the Asian continent, the species is located in South-Central China. Finally, its range reaches into Indo-China, particularly within the borders of Thailand.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Etlingera elatior is characterized by its occurrence within forest habitats, where it thrives under various environmental conditions. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1600 m AMSL. This wide elevational range allows the plant to inhabit diverse forest ecosystems, ranging from lowland tropical environments to higher altitude montane settings.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Etlingera elatior is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a cryptophyte, specifically classified as a geophyte, which means it survives unfavorable periods through underground storage organs. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen nature, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present year-round.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Etlingera elatior is characterized by its stature as a non-woody herb and forb, typically reaching a plant height with a mean of approximately 5 m. It functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or liana, maintaining a structural form that does not require external support. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor semiaquatic, nor does it exhibit epiphytic tendencies such as being a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte; instead, it grows independently on the ground. Furthermore, the plant is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic nature, and is distinguished by its non-woody tissue composition.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Etlingera elatior is characterized by its metabolic processes adapted to tropical, high-humidity environments, where it functions as a perennial herb utilizing C3 photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy. Its physiological framework involves efficient transpiration rates regulated by stomatal conductance to maintain turgor pressure in its large, lush leaves, which are essential for nutrient transport and gas exchange. Regarding its nutrient acquisition and soil interactions, the plant does not possess a symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria, meaning it is not a nitrogen fixer; therefore, its nitrogen fixation status is recorded as no. Instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the organic-rich, moist soil through an extensive rhizomatous root system to support its rapid growth and the production of its fragrant, large inflorescences.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Etlingera elatior has 4 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, rhizome, root.

Leaf

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Natural product communications
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Flower

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Natural product communications
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Rhizome

1. Journal of natural products

Root

1. Natural product communications

Chemicals

Etlingera elatior has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,8-Cineole, Terpinen-4-ol, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one, 1-DODECANOL, 16-Hydroxylabda-8(17),11,13-trien-15,16-olide.

1,8-Cineole

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Natural product communications

Terpinen-4-ol

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Natural product communications

1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one

1. Journal of natural products

1-DODECANOL

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

16-Hydroxylabda-8(17),11,13-trien-15,16-olide

1. Journal of natural products

5alpha,8alpha-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3beta-ol

1. Journal of natural products

BORNYL ACETATE

1. Natural product communications

Borneol

1. Natural product communications

CAMPHENE

1. Natural product communications

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Phytochemistry

Activities

Etlingera elatior has 6 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Diuretic.

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Anticancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diuretic

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Nephroprotective

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Medicinal Uses

Etlingera elatior has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Type 2 Diabetes, anthelmintic, anti-allergic, antidiabetic, antioxidant.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations