Hedychium

Scientific name

Hedychium J. Koenig

Common names

ginger lily, butterfly lily, white butterfly ginger lily, white ginger, white ginger lily, common ginger lily, wild ginger, butterfly ginger, white butterfly ginger, cinnamon jasmine, garland lily, white garland lily, garland flower

Family

Zingiberaceae

Similar genera

Hellenia (=Cheilocostus)

Native distribution

the Indian subcontinent (India and Nepal) and southeastern Asia

Species cultivated

(one species plus cultivated varieties and hybrids)

a widely cultivated ornamental in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide

Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig

Adventive distribution

Australia, southern and eastern Africa, tropical Americas and many oceanic islands

Weed status

a significant weed in some countries

Habit

emergent emergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
aquatic and riparianriparian:
(adj) growing by rivers or streams; of, adjacent to, or living on, the banks of a river, lake, pond, etc.
herb; does not tolerate submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
habit; forms extensive thickets

Brief description

Large, erect. Rhizomerhizome:
(n) an underground stem, usually growing horizontally, from which both roots and shoots emerge directly; the thick, above-ground stem of ferns
creeping, fleshy, aromatic. Stem robust, unbranched, round, covered with leaf sheaths. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, 2-ranked; sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
; sheaths striated; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
oblanceolate or lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
; base acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
spikespike:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranching inflorescence of sessile flowers or flower clusters on a usually elongated axis
, ellipsoidal; bracts ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
or oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
obtuse or acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
, overlapping, typically 2-3 flowered; bracteoles 2-3 times smaller. Flowers bisexualbisexual:
(adj) having both male and female sexual reproductive structures on one individual or in one flower
, zygomorphiczygomorphic:
(adj) bilaterally symmetrical; symmetrical along only one plane
, large, white, fragrant; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
tube short, opening obliquely, hidden between bracts; corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
tube long, slender, 3-lobed, lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
; staminodes 4, petaloidpetaloid:
(adj) resembling a petal in appearance
, laterallateral:
(adj) on or pertaining to the side of an organ or structure
2 separate, remaining 2 united, obcordate, 2-lobed, white, or with yellowish center; fertilefertile:
(adj) producing viable seed, spores, or pollen; capable of reproducing
stamens 1; stylestyle:
(n) in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary
hidden in groove along filamentfilament:
(n) the stalk of the stamen, which supports the anther
.

Natural habitat

moist to wet habitats; forests, swamps, banks of lakes, streams, and rivers, in shallow water, shaded or semi-shaded areas subject to waterlogging

Additional comments

A genus of almost 100 species. Hedychium coronarium is the national plant of Cuba and is frequently cultivated.