Hedychium flavescens N.Carey ex Roscoe, Zingiberaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cream ginger, wild ginger, yellow ginger

French: gingembre jaune, Gingembre-douleur, longose, longouze à fleurs jaunes, longoze

Hawaiian: ‘awapuhi melemele

Maori (Cook Islands): kaopui rengarenga, kōpī rengarenga, kōpī rengarenga, re‘a, re‘a rengarenga, re‘a rengarenga, re‘a rengarenga

Niuean: kamapui fiti tea, keuila

Samoan: teuila, teuila

Tahitian: opuhi rea rea

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Coarse perennial herbs with leafy shoots 1.5-2 m tall (rarely taller in Hawai'i), rhizomes ca. 3 cm in diameter, branched, internally pale and fragrant.  Leaves oblong to lanceolate, 20-45 (-60) cm long, 5-10 (-12.5) cm wide, upper surface glabrous, lower surface sparsely pubescent, apex acuminate, sessile, ligules membranous, (1-) 2-4 cm long, entire, pubescent, sheaths glabrous.  Flowers fragrant, inflorescences erect, basically ovoid, 15-20 cm long, ca. 8 cm wide, primary bracts green, membranous along margins, loosely imbricate, broadly ovate to elliptic, 5-8 cm long, ca. 3.5 cm wide, apex usually obtuse, pubescent to glabrate, rachis permanently concealed, cincinni usually 4-flowered, calyx cylindrical, 4-5 cm long, pubescent or rarely glabrate; corolla yellow, the tube slender, 8-9 cm long, the lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, 4-5 cm long; labellum often centrally flushed with dark yellow, broadly obovate, about as long as staminodes, (2.5-) 3-4 cm wide, the base tapered into a claw; stamen yellow, about as long as labellum or slightly longer; lateral staminodes white, spatulate to lanceolate, (2.5-) 4-6 cm long.  Capsules unknown"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1622).

Habitat/ecology:  Rainforest, moist forest, roadsides, open areas, streamsides. Similar to H. coronarium and H. gardnerianum.

In Hawai‘i, "commonly cultivated and naturalized in moist areas"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1622). In New Zealand, "on roadsides and stream banks" (Healy & Edgar, 1980; p. 40).

Propagation:  Stolons. Escapes cultivation. Even small root fragments will regrow.

Native range:  Himalayas

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 35)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 617421) Taxon name on voucher: Hedychium flavescens N.Carey ex Roscoe
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 617427) Taxon name on voucher: Hedychium flavescens N.Carey ex Roscoe
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 381) Voucher cited: Moore 303
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 381) Voucher cited: Grant 5442
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 113)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623) Voucher cited: Munro 78, 79, 151 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1622-1623)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 142) Voucher cited: MacKee 34887
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 271) As H. flavum Roxb. Voucher cited: CHR 169974. "Possibly belongs to the species Hedychium flavescens Carey.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 24)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 40) As H. flavum Roxb. Voucher cited: Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9949 (BISH), Yuncker 10195 (BISH). See Sykes (1970).
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 66)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 40) Voucher cited: Kirk 1381 (WELT)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. (1991) (pp. 51-61)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Très envahissant"

Comments:  A major invader of native forests in New Zealand and La Réunion.

Control: 

Physical: Dig out, pull seedlings and regrowth. Do not compost roots.

Chemical: Treat with herbicide. Escort 25 gm/100 l water + 0.1% Pulse; Roundup 2% +0.2% Pulse (Timmins and Mackenzie, 1995; pp. 123-125).

Additional information:  Information on the Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, web site.
Fact sheet, including control information, from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, New Zealand.

Additional online information about Hedychium flavescens is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Hedychium flavescens may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1938. Voucher specimen #BISH 617421 (St.John, H. 19452).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1938. Voucher specimen #BISH 617427 (St.John, H. 19452).

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. 1980. Flora of New Zealand, Volume III: Adventive cyperaceous, petalous & spathaceous monocotyledons. Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand. 220 pp.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. 1991. Effects of alien plant invasions on native vegetation remnants on La Reunion (Mascarenes Islands, Indian Ocean). Environmental Conservation 18 (1):51-61.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Owen, S. J. 1997. Ecological weeds on conservation land in New Zealand: A database. Working draft. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation.

Parham, B. E. V. 1972. Plants of Samoa. New Zealand Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research Information Series No. 85, Wellington. 162 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Timmins, S. M./Mackenzie, I. W. 1995. Weeds in New Zealand protected natural areas database. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation, , Technical Series No. 8. 287 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands: The plants, their Maori names, and their uses. Allertonia 5(4):347-424.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.