Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum., Zingiberaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 4 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Guillainia purpurata Vieill.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: red ginger

Fijian: thevunga

Hawaiian: ‘awapuhi ‘ula‘ula

Kwara‘ae: fi‘i ange, forlata

Maori (Cook Islands): kāopi kura, kāopi muramura, kōpī muramura, kaopu‘i muramura, kaopui kutekute

Nangu: aluko

Niuean: kamapui futi kula, keuila

Rotuman: kapui riri‘i

Samoan: teuila, teuila mćmć

Tahitian: opuhi uteute

Tokelauan: teuila

Tongan: teuila, teuila pāpālangi, tevunga

Yapese: telan

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Leafy shoots 1-5 m tall (up to 7 m tall in cultivated forms).  Leaves oblong, 30-70 (-80) cm long, 10-22 cm wide, glabrous, apex short-acuminate, sessile, ligules unequally 2-lobed, (5-) 7-20 mm long, pubescent, sheaths pubescent at apex margins.  Inflorescences terminal on leafy shoots, unbranched (occasionally branched in cultivated forms), basically cylindrical, 15-30 cm long, usually elongating considerably with age, primary bracts usually red (occasionally pink or white in cultivated forms), ovate or broadly obovate, 2.5-3 cm long at anthesis, elongating to 4-6 cm long in fruit, apex mucronate, persistent, rachis glabrous, glabrate, or rarely pubescent, cincinni 1-2 (-5)-flowered, bracteoles reddish, tubular, 6-10 mm long, with a subapical spur; floral tube 2-2.7 mm long, calyx reddish, 1.7-2 (-2.7) cm long, glabrous, each lobe with a subapical spur; corolla white, exserted just beyond primary bracts; labellum white, with 2 distinct lateral lobes and a central segment that is distinctly 3-lobed or subentire, about as long as corolla lobes; stamen 6-7 mm long; ovary 3-4 mm long, glabrous.  Capsules nearly globose, 2-3 cm in diameter.  Seeds ca 3 mm long, angled"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1618).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "introduced as an ornamental as early as 1928, now naturalized" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1618).  In Fiji, "naturalized in abandoned garden areas, along trails and streams in forests, and on the edges of mangrove swamps, at elevations up to 500 m" (Smith, 1975; p. 211).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville. Widely cultivated and naturalized in the tropics (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1618).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 30) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9460 (BISH)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 699993) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 30) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9177 (BISH)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 699992) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1975) (voucher ID: BISH 430371) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 73)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 78)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 63)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Puluwat (Pwonowót) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Manner, H. I./Mallon, E. (1989) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Manner & Mallon 200 (GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 11)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 62) Voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg 58448 (BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 438250) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Lamotrek Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Lamotrek Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 595562) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 211) Voucher cited: Smith 8
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1933) (voucher ID: BISH 699985) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 617418) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 637987) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 211) Voucher cited: Smith 6827
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 699986) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 211) Vouchers cited: Gillespie 4384, DA 15449, DA 12154, DA 12336, DA 16230
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1967) (voucher ID: BISH 34045) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 699987) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1924) (voucher ID: BISH 699988) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1927) (voucher ID: BISH 699989) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 699990) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Akamaru Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 154)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 23)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 154)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced cultivated	University of California (2006) "Grown ornamentally for its bright, showy bracts".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 378-379) Vouchers cited: Moore 115, Moore 385
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 154)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 378-379) Vouchers cited: BRY 24812, Florence 2585
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2585 (PAP) Très commune à Tahiti où on cultive aussi une variété à bractées roses.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493479) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	probably introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 110)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 595566) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 699984) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 124)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1618) Vouchers cited: St. John 12798, 12767 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1618)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 124)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 105)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated abo. intro.	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 56)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 75) Voucher cited: Fosberg 59710 (US)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	native	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 141) Vouchers cited: MacKee 7902, Lauri 120 (NOU)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 270) Voucher cited: CHR 169972
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 40) Voucher cited: Yuncker 10086 (BISH)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 38)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 88)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 84)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 79)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 58)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1974) (voucher ID: BNM 10049) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Viell.) K. Schum.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 121) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Viell.) K. Schum.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 79)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 79)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1618)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 103)
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 31)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 69)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1931) (voucher ID: BISH 699994) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 65)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1979) (voucher ID: BISH 439389) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 699995) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Mikira (San Cristobal) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1932) (voucher ID: BISH 127396) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Ndeni (Santa Cruz) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 79936) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1618)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 45)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 50)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 41398) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 127314) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuatoputapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1976) (voucher ID: BISH 456103) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1618)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 12) Cultivated only

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1903) (voucher ID: BISH 634305) Taxon name on voucher: Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Alpinia purpurata, please let us know.