Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm., Zingiberaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))
Accept (based on second screen), score 5 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Other Latin names:  Alpinia speciosa (J. C. Wendl.) K. Schum.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yan shan jiang

English: light galangal, pink porcelain lily, pink porcelain-lily, shell flower, shell ginger

Maori (Cook Islands): Kōpī ‘enua, kaopu‘i, kaopui

Samoan: teuila

Tongan: teuila

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plant 2.0-4.5 m. Leaves sessile to petiolate, petiole 0-1.0cm long; blade 50-80 x 10-15 cm, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, tip acuminate, base cuneate, coriaceous, glabrous on both sides except for margin and below midrib; ligule 1 cm long, entire or bilobed, coriaceous, outer surface hairy. Inflorescence a thyrse, usually pendulous, glabrous or villose, flower-bearing part 25-45 cm long, lower rachilla 1.2-3.0 cm long, with 2-3(4) flowers, upper ones with 1 flower, without bract. Flowers pedicellate; bracteole white, tip pink, folded around the bud, glabrous, deciduous; calyx white, tip pink, tubular, 2.5 cm long, shortly 3-5-lobed and deeply split unilaterally, minutely pubescent on outer surface; corolla white, tube 2.0 cm long, lobes oblong, outer surface sparsely pubescent, margin ciliate, dorsal lobe 3.5 x 3 cm, laterals 3.0 x 1.8 cm; labellum dark yellow, involute, 4.5 x 4.0 cm, with red stripes and spots at the center, apex emarginate; staminodes linear, 0.3 cm long, with red stripes; anther 1.5 cm long; filament band-form, 1.5 cm long; stigma funnel-form, apex densely hairy; style slender, 5 cm long; epigynous glands massive, united on one side, yellow-brown, 0.4 cm long; ovary green, villose, 0.7 x 0.6 cm. Fruits capsular, red, globose to triangulate, 2.5-3.5 x 2.0-2.3 cm, distinctly costate, villose. Seeds 25-40, angular; aril white, membranous"  (Digital Flora of Taiwan).

"Robust, rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial up to 4 m high; leaves broad, lanceolate, sheathing the stems; inflorescence drooping, showy, fragrant.  Leaves: Bright green, glabrous and shining, up to 600 mm long and 200 mm wide.  Flowers: In racemes up to 400 mm long, main axis very hairy; white, waxy, pink-tinged bracteoles enfold the buds; flowers orchid-like; corolla white, lip to 40 mm, crinkled, yellow, with red and brown variegations.  Fruits: Red capsules"  (Henderson, 2001; p. 40).

Habitat/ecology:  In South Africa, "watercourses, forest margins, roadsides, urban open space in moist, warm, coastal and inland regions" (Henderson, 2001; p. 40). "In Fiji this well-known plant is cultivated or perhaps sparsely naturalized along roadsides near sea level" (Smith, 1979; pp. 214-215). In the Cook Islands, "naturalised; land, lowlands - inland valleys" (McCormack, 2006).

Propagation:  Vegetatively propagating or possibly bird dispersed seed. Aquatic dispersal is also apparently occurring along streams (Oppenheimer, 2008; p. 35).

Native range:  Eastern Asia (East Indies) (Henderson, 2001; p. 40). "New Guinea or some neighboring part of eastern Malesia, but it has long been in cultivation and now occurs in most tropical countries" (Smith, 1979; pp. 214-215).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Naturalized
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	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
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. 63) Voucher cited: M. Takamatsu 614 (BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 214-215) Voucher cited: Bierhorst F172 Perhaps sparsely naturalized
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 214-215) Vouchers cited: DA 12360, DA 16085 Perhaps sparsely naturalized
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5247 (PAP) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2677 (PAP) "Ornementale commune".
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5913 (PAP). "Ornementale rare".
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rimatara (Rimitara) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisé
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 9247 (PAP). "Naturalisé en station ombragé". Naturalisé
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 111)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Flynn, Tim/Lorence, David H. (2002) (p. 16) Voucher cited: D. Lorence & T. Flynn 8468 (PTBG, BISH, US) Naturalized on stream banks, forming scattered clumps, in lowland secondary mesic forest.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2008) (p. 35) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H30709 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H60718 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2010) (pp. 38-39) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H10809 (BISH, PTBG)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	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. 76)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 141) Vouchers cited: Delacour s.n., Sarasin 206 (Z), Baumann 15676, MacKee 2666, Blanchon 299 Spontané
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)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 29)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 12) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2013) "Widely distributed at low altitudes throughout the island and the adjacent islets. ".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station.

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