Etlingera rosea (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Etlingera rosea Burtt & Smith

Family: Zingiberaceae

Synonyms

• Amomum roseum K. Schumann, non Roxb.,
• Donacodes roseus Teijsm. & Binn., nom. nud.,
• Geanthus roseus Loesen., nom. illegit., non Valeton.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: galoba papua, potmepini, gitipi tana (Moluccas)

Distribution

Indonesia (Moluccas, Sulawesi).

Uses

The aril around the seed has a pleasant taste and is eaten directly or used as a condiment, e.g. for fish.

Observations

• Perennial herb, about 5 m tall.
• Leaves subsessile, ligule rounded, up to 7 mm long; blade linear to lanceolate, 50-55 cm × 6-6.5 cm, glabrous to ciliate.
• Inflorescence spike-like, subglobose, 5 cm in diameter, near to the soil surface on separate peduncle about 6 cm long; outer bracts elliptical, up to 2.5 cm long; pedicel 2 mm long; bracteole tubular, bilobed, appressed pilose.
• Calyx tubular, 2 cm long, ending in 3 teeth; corolla tubular, tube about 2 cm long, ending in 3 lobes 12 mm long; labellum 17 mm long; filament 3 mm long, anther 4 mm long.
• Fruit capsular, subglobose although slightly compressed triangular, 1 cm in diameter, red, easily dehiscing into 3 parts, exocarp with short spines.
• Seed with pleasant-tasting aril.

Selected sources

• Burtt, B.L. & Smith, R.M., 1972. Key species in the taxonomic history of Zingiberaceae. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 31: 177-228.

• Burtt, B.L. & Smith, R.M., 1986. Etlingera: the inclusive name for Achasma, Geanthus and Nicolaia (Zingiberaceae). Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 43: 235-241.

• Burtt, B.L. & Smith, R.M., 1986. New combinations in Etlingera Giseke (Zingiberaceae). Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 43: 243-254.

• Schumann, K., 1912. Zingiberaceae. In: Engler, A. (Editor): Das Pflanzenreich (The plant kingdom). Reihe Scitamineae. Fam. 46. W. Engelmann, Leipzig, Germany. 458 pp.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen