Zingiberaceae and Costaceae

Ginger and Spiral-Ginger Families

By: George Rogers

Rogers, George K. The Genera of Zingiberales (Cannaceae, Marantaceae, and Zingiberaceae) in the Southeastern United States. [Generic flora of the Southeastern United States, treatment no.101]. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 65: 5-55. 1984.

Also see: BA1 for important data

Zingiberaceae, Gingers, including Alpinnia and Hedychium

An herbaceous, rhizomatous tropical family of about 40 genera and 400 species, mostly in the Old World. Leaves usually (not always) petiolate, with a ligule (flap) at the top of the petiole and the bases sheathing the stem. Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, with 3 sepals and 3 relatively inconspicuous petals, the showy petal-like structures being 1 or more staminodes (modified stamens), the fertile (anther-bearing) stamen 1. Style 1, rising through a groove in the filament, the stigma emerging just above the anther.

Costaceae including Costus

A small tropical herbaceous family of 4 genera and about 200 species, resembling and closely related to Zingiberaceae. Leaves borne along the stem, often sessile or nearly so, often fleshy, usually in a spiral arrangement (and the stem twisted like a corkscrew). Flowers (in ours) in conelike terminal inflorescences having tightly overlapping bracts. Sepals and petals 3 each, comparatively modest, the showy portion of the flower a single broad petal-like hood, in theory derived from 5 staminodes; fertile stamen 1 as with Zingiberaceae.

Key to Important Zingiberaceae and Costaceae in South Florida Landscaping

(Additional species are grown locally as specialty and greenhouse plants.)

1. Stems twisted like a corkscrew with sessile or nearly sessile leaves…2

1. Stems mostly rhizomes, the vertical portions short, inconspicuous and covered with leave bases or petiole bases…4

2. Leaves velvety beneath…Costus barbatus

2. Leaves glabrous or only lightly pubescent beneath…3

3. Flowers (not the bracts) yellow; bracts smooth-margined; inflorescences rounded or blunt-pointed at the top…Costus woodsonii

3. Flowers orange; bracts with fuzzy margins; inflorescences tapered on top to a sharp point…Costus pulverulentus

4. Flowers on long wandlike stems ending in a tuft of colorful (pinkish to purplish) loosely arranged bracts…Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata)

4. Flowers in other arrangements…5

5. Flowers delicate, with long basal tube, with 2 well developed lateral staminodes (in addition to a broad expanded white central staminode), highly fragrant…Crown Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

5. Flowers hard and waxy, without long basal tube; without well developed lateral staminodes, the single central staminode red and yellow, not particularly fragrant…Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)(This species may have green leaves or variegated leaves in ‘Variegata’.)