Alpinia nieuwenhuizii
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii
Nieuwenhuis’ Alpinia (Alpinia nieuwenhuizii Valeton) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Zingiberaceae family.
Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Liliopsida,
Subclass Zingiberidae,
Zingiberales Order,
Zingiberaceae family,
Genus Alpinia,
Species A. nieuwenhuizii.
The terms are synonyms:
– Alpinia borneensis Valeton;
– Alpinia borneensis Valeton ex Gagnep.;
– Alpinia flava Ridl.;
– Languas borneensis (Valeton ex Gagnep.) Merr.;
– Languas flava (Ridl.) Merr..
Etymology –
The term Alpinia was attributed in honor of the pre-Linnaean botanist Prospero Alpinio (1553-1617), director of the Botanical Garden of Padua.
The specific epithet nieuwenhuizii was given in honor of the Dutch military doctor, explorer and anthropologist Anton Willem Nieuwenhuis (1864-1953), who collected the sample in Borneo.
Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii is a perennial rhizomatous herbaceous plant endemic to the tropical forest of Borneo.
Its habitat is that of dipterocarpaceae and mixed or lowland forest, as well as secondary forest, at altitudes up to 1,000 m, often along watercourses and open spaces such as roads and paths.
Description –
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii is a rhizomatous herbaceous species which develops in the form of leafy shoots up to 2-3.5 m in height; these are formed from rhizomes branched out in the soil.
The leaves grow from a pseudo-stem with a swollen base composed of the leaf sheaths. These are 15-35 cm long and 5-7 cm broad, or even more, of a medium-dark green colour, glossy on the upper surface.
The inflorescence is a terminal panicle.
The flowers are 1.5-4 cm long (from the base of the ovary to the tip of the anther). Base color of lip dull red or light-dark reddish-brown with faint white stripes or streaks, center of lip along midrib white.
The fruit is a globose indehiscent capsule (which does not open spontaneously when ripe) of 2-3 cm of diameter, persistent for a long time on the plant, containing 3 seeds.
There are two distinct populations that differ in the size of the flowers according to the habitat to which they belong, that of the plants that live in the forests, with smaller flowers, and that that lives on the banks of the rivers and along the edges of roads and paths with more large, which have different pollinators, a difference confirmed at the genetic level.
Cultivation –
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii is a rarely cultivated plant, with the fruits mainly consumed by hunter-gatherers.
It is a vigorous plant little known outside its area of origin which deserves greater diffusion due to its luxuriant foliage and long-lasting inflorescences.
It is a plant which can be cultivated in the tropical and humid subtropical climate zones, in full sun or slight shade, on draining soils rich in organic substance; moreover, the cultivation can be attempted in capacious pots, in order to be sheltered in the coldest months, where the climate does not allow the permanence with continuity in the open air.
The plant reproduces easily by division and by seed, previously kept in water for 24 hours, in organic loam with addition of sand or perlite, to improve the drainage, kept humid at a temperature of 22-24 °C, with rather variable, starting from one month.
Customs and Traditions –
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii is a plant also known as lalemas (in the Iban Jaku language which is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group, living in Brunei, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and the Malaysian state of Sarawak) or terebak ( in Sabah which is a state of Malaysia).
The fruits are mostly consumed by people living in the growing areas.
The young shoots of this plant are locally consumed as vegetables. Laboratory studies have highlighted the antimicrobial properties of the essential oil extracted from the rhizomes. The essential oil extracted from the rhizomes of this species has been shown to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus var. aureus.
No other possible uses are known.
Method of Preparation –
Alpinia nieuwenhuizii is a plant whose fruits are consumed but which is rarely cultivated.
even the leaves are used in the food field; the young shoots are eaten as vegetables.
Guido Bissanti
Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Photo source:
– https://ntbg.org/database/plants/detail/alpinia-nieuwenhuizii
– https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/media/?ark=42dc6328715145a09f838b75ac51d07d
Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.