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Hedychium

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Hedychium
Hedychium coronarium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Zingiberaceae
Subfamily: Zingiberoideae
Tribe: Zingibereae
Genus: Hedychium
J.Koenig
Synonyms[1]
  • Gamochilus T.Lestib.
  • Gandasulium Rumph. ex Kuntze
  • Brachychilum (R.Br. ex Wall.) Petersen

Hedychium is a genus of flowering plants in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, native to lightly wooded habitats in Asia. There are approximately 70-80 known species, native to India, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar. Some species have become widely naturalized in other lands, and considered invasive in some places.[1][2]

The genus name Hedychium is derived from two ancient Greek words, hedys meaning "sweet" and chios meaning "snow". This refers to the fragrant white flower of the type species H. coronarium.[3] Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger.

Members of the genus Hedychium are rhizomatous perennials, commonly growing 120–180 cm (47–71 in) tall. Some species are cultivated for their exotic foliage and fragrant spikes of flowers in shades of white, yellow and orange.[4] Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which 'Tara' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[5][6] Though reasonably hardy down to −10 °C (14 °F), it requires a sheltered position and a deep mulch in winter.

Species

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Taxonomy and phylogeny

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In 2000, Tom Wood et al. published the first phylogeny of the genus Hedychium represented by 29 taxa.[7]

Reproductive biology

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Hedychium has multiple modes of reproduction: sexual, via rhizomes and via bulbils. Some species of Hedychium are reported to exhibit facultative vivipary.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families". Archived from the original on 2022-11-26. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  2. ^ Flora of China, v 24 p 370, 姜花属 jiang hua shu, Hedychium J. König in Retzius, Observ. Bot. 3: 73--74. 1783.
  3. ^ Coombes, Allen J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names. USA: Timber Press. p. 312. ISBN 9781604691962.
  4. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  5. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Hedychium 'Tara'". Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 46. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  7. ^ Wood, T. H.; Whitten, W. M.; Williams, N. H. (July 2000). "Phylogeny of Hedychium and Related Genera (Zingiberaceae) Based on ITS Sequence Data". Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 57 (2): 261–270. doi:10.1017/S0960428600000196. ISSN 1474-0036.
  8. ^ Ashokan, Ajith; Gowda, Vinita (2018-03-15). "Describing terminologies and discussing records: More discoveries of facultative vivipary in the genus Hedychium J.Koenig (Zingiberaceae) from Northeast India". PhytoKeys (96): 21–34. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.96.23461. ISSN 1314-2011. PMC 5904510. PMID 29670451.
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