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Hellenia speciosa

(J.Koenig) S.R.Dutta (2013)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Zingiberales Family: Costaceae Genus: Hellenia

crape ginger, crepe ginger, crepe ginger, malay ginger, Malay ginger, spiral flag, spiral flag

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs 0.5–4 m tall.

Stems: Stems branched in upper ½.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades oblong, oblanceolate, or lanceolate, (5–)12–25(–45) cm long, (1.5–)3–6(–12) cm wide. Surfaces glabrous or Upper surfaces appressed pubescent; lower surfaces silky pubescent. Margins entire. Petioles (2–) 5–8 mm long, pubescent, ligules truncate, 1–2 mm long, minutely pubescent or glabrous, sheaths green tinged red, minutely pubescent or glabrous. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers numerous in ellipsoid, ovoid, or globose heads 2.5–7 cm long, elongating up to ca. 13 cm long with age, 3–5 cm wide, primary bracts tinged red or bright red to purplish red, ovate, coriaceous, densely sericeous or glabrous, with a narrow, fleshy, subapical mucro 2.2–4.5 cm long, 0.7–2.5 cm wide, bracteoles narrow, red–tinged along margins, ca. 1–2.2 cm long, glabrous or pubescent. Flowers bisexual (perfect), zygomorphic. Calyx 3-lobed, 2–3 cm long, glabrous or pubescent. Corolla white or purple tinged, glabrous, the tube equaling or shorter than calyx, the lobes 3–6.5 cm long. Stamens 6 in 2 whorls of 3, but only the posterior one of the inner whorl fertile, the other 2 of the inner whorl adnate to the 3 members of the outer whorl to form a petaloid, often showy, 3–5-lobed labellum, fertile stamen large, petaloid, adnate to the floral tube at base and exserted from the funnel of the labellum; anther dithecal, the cells usually well–separated, often appendaged at apex. Labellum white with a yellow median band and yellow pubescent at throat, broadly obovate, 8–10 cm wide when spread out, the margins crenate; stamen ca. 2.5 cm long, 1.2–1.5 cm wide. Ovary inferior ca. 8 mm long, pubescent.

Fruit: Fruit red; ellipsoid; 1–2.5 cm in diameter; minutely sericeous; crowned by the persistent calyx. Seeds black; angular; ca. 3 mm long; with a white aril.

Ploidy: 2n = 13; 17–27 (irregular); 36; 72

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Synonyms (39)

Amomum arboreum Lour. (1790)
Amomum hirsutum Lam. (1791)
Banksea speciosa J.Koenig (1783)
Cardamomum arboreum (Lour.) Kuntze (1891)
Cheilocostus potierae (F.Muell.) M.G.Harr. & Zich (2012)
Cheilocostus speciosus (J.Koenig) C.D.Specht (2006)
Costus angustifolius Ker Gawl. (1823)
Costus arabicus (Misapplied)
Costus argyrophyllus Wall. (1832)
Costus crispiflorus Stokes (1812)
Costus foeniculaceus Noronha (1790)
Costus formosanus Nakai (1941)
Costus glaber (K.Schum.) Merr. (1924)
Costus glabratus Rchb. (1829)
Costus hirsutus Blume (1827)
Costus lamingtonii F.M.Bailey (1898)
Costus loureiroi Horan. (1862)
Costus nipalensis Roscoe (1826)
Costus potierae F.Muell. (1864)
Costus sericeus Blume (1827)
Costus speciosus (J.Koenig) Sm. (1791)
Costus speciosus var. angustifolius Ker Gawl. (1822)
Costus speciosus var. argyrophyllus Wall. ex Baker (1892)
Costus speciosus var. dilnavaziae M.R.Almeida & S.M.Almeida (1999)
Costus speciosus var. formosanus (Nakai) S.S.Ying (1988)
Costus speciosus var. glaber K.Schum. (1899)
Costus speciosus var. hirsutus (Blume) K.Schum. (1899)
Costus speciosus var. leocalyx Nakai (1941)
Costus speciosus var. nipalensis (Roscoe) Baker (1892)
Costus speciosus var. sericeus (Blume) K.Schum. (1899)
Costus spicatus var. pubescens Griseb. (1864)
Costus vaginalis Salisb. (1812)
Hellenia grandiflora Retz. (1791)
Hellenia speciosa var. dilnavaziae (M.R.Almeida & S.M.Almeida) S.R.Dutta (2013)
Kaempferia speciosa (J.Koenig) Thunb. (1825)
Planera speciosa (J.Koenig) Giseke (1792)
Pyxa speciosa (J.Koenig) M.R.Almeida (2009)
Pyxa speciosa var. dilnavaziae (M.R.Almeida & S.M.Almeida) M.R.Almeida (2009)
Tsiana speciosa (J.Koenig) J.F.Gmel. (1791)

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Potentially naturalizing
Lana'i Potentially naturalizing
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Potentially naturalizing

Dispersal Agents

Birds

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Pleione 7: 228 (2013)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1381 (L [as Costus speciosus]); Wagner & Herbst 1995:18 (K); Oppenheimer & Bartlett 2000:4 (EM, WM); Staples & Herbst 2005:651 (KEY), 652 (DESCR); Frohlich & Lau 2008:5 (O); Specht & Stevenson 2006:159/Wagner et al. 2012:79 (COMBNOV, Syn. Costus speciosus = Cheilocostus speciosus); Govaerts 2013:64 (COMBNOV, Syn. Cheilocostus speciosus = Hellenia speciosa); Degener 28616 NY (L†, 1963)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Hellenia speciosa Hulopoe Gulch, Forest Reserve Naturalized in forest reserve. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 28616 Lanai BISH 1963-08-13
2 Hellenia speciosa Honolulu; Parmelee's Nursery, Kapahulu Avenue Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1930-06-16
3 Hellenia speciosa Lihue, Wailua River State Park, N fork of River with Hibiscus tiliaceus, Mangifera indica Preserved_Specimen rhizomatous, pseudostems 2.5-3 m; leaves sericeous beneath; inflorescence terminal, bracts and calyx brick red; outer tepals pinkish white, labellum white, pale yellow within, stamen yellow and white; dense stand Lorence, D.H. 8033 Kauai BISH 1997-07-21
4 Hellenia speciosa Haena; Kuhio Hwy. near Limahuli Stream Abundant on both sides of highway, in shade. Preserved_Specimen 10 ft. in height. Nagata, K.M. 3849 Kauai BISH 1988-05-28
5 Hellenia speciosa Along Limahuli Stream banks makai of road Growing with java plum and other gingers, in area used for growing taro. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-16
6 Hellenia speciosa South Hilo, Honolii Roadside near stream and ocean. Associated vegetation: Costus spp, Guzmania sp, Odontanima sp, Miconia, Cestrum, Falcataria. Preserved_Specimen More than 50 indviduals present. Rhizomatous herb. Lvs lance-shaped, spirally arranged along stem. Flws white whith yellow inside, bracts burgundy. No fruit observed. Naturalized Murphy, M. 228 Hawaii BISH 2022-08-14
7 Hellenia speciosa Koloa District. Allerton Gardens in Lawai Valley, on E side of Lawai Stream. In cutting garden with many gingers, heliconias, etc. Preserved_Specimen Clumping rhizomatous perennial, pseudostems to 1.5 m, with lateral branches, leaves spiral, green. Infl. terminal, dark red bracts, calyx pale green, dark red distally, labellum white. Fruit 3-celled, seeds black. Cult., hort. origin. Lorence, D.H. 7779 Kauai BISH 1996-05-15
8 Hellenia speciosa Waimea Botanical Garden Naturalizing throughout the valley. Preserved_Specimen Herb, about 8 feet tall. Sending off small plantlets; no flowers seen- red bracts with shiny black seeds inside. OED Oahu BISH 2007-01-25
9 Hellenia speciosa Along Limahuli Stream banks makai of road Growing with java plum and other gingers, in area used for growing taro. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-16
10 Hellenia speciosa East Maui, Hana District, near Keanae along Hana Hwy Spreading at least vegetatively; small populations common in area. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 89932 Maui BISH 1999-08-22
11 Hellenia speciosa W Maui, Lahaina District, Honokahua Valley Sparingly naturalized along stream and roadside. Preserved_Specimen Shrubs to 2 m tall; flowers white. Oppenheimer, H.L. 29909 Maui BISH 1999-02-16
12 Hellenia speciosa Lawai-Kai; Koloa District, Lawai Valley. Allerton Estate Preserved_Specimen Herb of 6-7 ft.; stems glossy medium green with reddish overlay; leaves glossy dark green above, dull grey-green below; inflorescence terminal, bracts glossy dark brownish-scarlet; buds pinkish-white with dark pink margins; open flower: outer tepals white with pink margin; corolla white with yellow throat; stamen white with yellow base and apex. Flynn, T.W. 5585 Kauai BISH 1994-08-02
13 Hellenia speciosa Honolulu; Foster Botanic Garden Preserved_Specimen An herb spreading by rhizomes, reaching up to 2 m. The flower is white with some canary and lemon yellow in the throat. Inflorescence bracts crimson. Flower odorless in morning. Lau, J. 1489 Oahu BISH 1985-10-03
14 Hellenia speciosa Honolulu; Mr. Ehrhorn's garden in Manoa Preserved_Specimen Cultivated. Degener, O. 9770 Oahu BISH 1932-08-21
15 Hellenia speciosa Koloa, NTBG, Lawai Valley, Pump 6, behind Chalet Preserved_Specimen perennial herb, stems clumping, 1-1.5 m tall; inflorescence bracts, ovaries, calyx wine red, labellum white, small, stamen yellow Lorence, D.H. 9480 Kauai BISH 2005-10-14
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