Description
Borneo is one of the most exciting places to study the richness of plant life on Earth and home to more than 300 ginger species. Etlingera is among the most diverse and attractive of the genera found there; several species are used as food, spice, medicine, ornamentals or for other purposes and it therefore becomes crucial to be able to identify them.
The present revision treats 42 taxa, including 16 new species, one new subspecies, one new variety, and one new combination. This more than doubles the number of species since modern careful revision was begun by Rosemary M. Smith 20 years ago.
The first chapters of the book give an introduction to the genus including its taxonomic history, morphology, ecology, uses, and conservation. Local names and uses by the peoples of Borneo emphasize the great potential that the genus Etlingera offers for the future.
A key is provided to the identification of the species; most are described in detail and illustrated by beautiful colour photographs and line drawings. The first descriptions and illustrations of the fruits of several species are also provided and show the importance of fruit characters for identification. The meanings of the scientific plant names are explained, the conservation status of each species is assessed, notes are added on ecology, uses and history, and a distribution map is given.
The book will be of interest to botanists, horticulturists and ethnobotanists.
Table of Contents
- Foreword ix
- Chapter 1: Introduction 1
- Chapter 2: The Plant 3
- Habits 3
- Vegetative characters 3
- Inflorescence 4
- Flowers 5
- Infructescence, fruits and seeds 10
- Chromosome numbers 11
- Chapter 3: Etlingera in Borneo 13
- History 13
- Distribution 13
- Species richness 14
- Ecology 14
- Reproductive Biology 15
- Speciation 17
- Ethnobotany 18
- Conservation 21
- Chapter 4: Material and Methods 23
- Collecting and Identifying Etlingera 23
- Collections 23
- Distribution maps and conservation status 23
- Measurements 24
- Collectors and abbreviations 24
- Informal groups 25
- Species concept 25
- Kry to the Bornean species of Etlingera 26
- 1. Etlingera albolutea 31
- 2. Etlingera amomoides 35
- 3. Etlingera aurantia 39
- 4. Etlingera baculutea 44
- 5. Etlingera balikpapanensis 48
- 6. Etlingera baramensis 52
- 7. Etlingera barioensis 57
- 8. Etlingera belalongensis 61
- 9. Etlingera brachychila 66
- 10. Etlingera brachychila var. vinosa 71
- 11. Etlingera brevilabrum 75
- 12. Etlingera burttii 84
- 13. Etlingera coccinea 88
- 14. Etlingera corrugata 96
- 15. Etlingera crispata 101
- 16. Etlingera dictyota 107
- 17. Etlingera elatior 111
- 18. Etlingera facifera 119
- 19. Etlingera fimbriobracteata 123
- 20. Etlingera foetens 132
- 21. Etlingera insolita 138
- 22. Etlingera inundata 142
- 23. Etlingera isip 148
- 24. Etlingera kenyalang 153
- 25. Etlingera lagarophylla 159
- 26. Etlingera longipetiolata 162
- 27. Etlingera megalocheilos 167
- 28. Etlingera metriocheilos 175
- 29. Etlingera muriformis 181
- 30. Etlingera nasuta 186
- 31. Etlingera newmanii 191
- 32. Etlingera otiolophos 193
- 33. Etlingera palangkensis 197
- 34. Etlingera pubescens 199
- 35. Etlingera pyramidosphaera 207
- 36. Etlingera rosamariae 213
- 37. Etlingera rubromarginata 221
- 38. Etlingera sayapensis 227
- 39. Etlingera sessilanthera 232
- 40. Etlingera velutina 237
- 41. Etlingera velutina subsp. longipedunculata 243
- 42. Etlingera sp. A 246
- Acknowledgements 248
- Publisher’s Acknowledgement 249
- References 249
- Identification List 252
- Index to Vernacular Names 259
- Index to Scientific Names 261