Bull. Natl. Mus. Nat. Sci., Ser. B, 45(1), pp. 1–8, February 22, 2019

Seven Taxa of Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) Newly Recorded
for the Flora of Myanmar
Mu Mu Aung1 and Nobuyuki Tanaka2,*
1

Forest Research Institute, Forest Department, Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironmental Conservation, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
2
Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science,
Amakubo 4–1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0005, Japan* E-mail: nobuyuki_tanaka@kahaku.go.jp(Received 31 October 2018; accepted 26 December 2018)

Abstract In the course of study on Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) in Myanmar, seven taxa: Zingiber
bradleyanum Craib, Z. chrysanthum Roscoe, Z. densissimum S.Q.Tong & Y.M.Xia, Z. mekongense
Gagnep., Z. ottensii Valeton, Z. parishii Hook.f. subsp. phuphanense Triboun & K.Larsen,
Z. tenuiscapus Triboun & K.Larsen, are newly recorded from Myanmar. The total number of taxa
of Zingiber presently occurring in Myanmar is raised to 33 as the results of this study. The photographic illustrations, the distributions, and voucher specimens for each species are provided.
Key words : Myanmar, Zingiber bradleyanum, Zingiber chrysanthum, Zingiber densissimum,
Zingiber mekongense, Zingiber ottensii, Zingiber parishii subsp. phuphanense, Zingiber tenuiscapus, Zingiberaceae.

Introduction
The genus Zingiber Mill. is the second largest
genus in the Zingiberaceae with about 150 species (Wu and Larsen, 2000; Kishor and LeongŠkorničková, 2013). Kress et al. (2003) listed 19
species of Zingiber in his checklist of ﬂowering
plants of Myanmar. However, among them, Z.
cassumunar Roxb. was sunk into a synonym of
Z. montanum (Koenig) Link ex Dietr. (Theilade,1999). At a later date, eight species have been
added to the Flora of Myanmar (Tanaka, 2012a,
2012b; Aung et al., 2015, 2017; Tanaka andAung, 2017; Tanaka et al., 2018), and presently
26 species have been recorded. Compared to theﬂora of Thailand (62 taxa) (Triboun et al., 2014;
Triboun and Keeratikiet, 2016), this small number of Zingiber species could be due to the lackof ﬁeld works and low collection density in thiscountry. The same situation has been reported in
Laos (Souvannakhoummane and Leong-Škorničková, 2018). In addition, quite large partof the forest areas is still restricted to enter in
Myanmar.
In the course of our inventory works especially to unexplored regions to clarify the species
diversity of Zingiber in Myanmar, we collected
seven taxa of Zingiber from Myanmar for theﬁrst time, namely Zingiber bradleyanum Craib,
Z. chrysanthum Roscoe, Z. densissimum
S.Q.Tong & Y.M.Xia, Z. mekongense Gagnep.,
Z. ottensii Valeton, Z. parishii Hook.f. subsp.
phuphanense Triboun & K.Larsen, and Z. tenuiscapus Triboun & K.Larsen.
As the results, the total number of the taxa of
Zingiber recorded in Myanmar is presently raised
to 33. The species number occurring in Myanmar
is still small although it has a distinct north-southpolarity, and then more various vegetative environments exist. Further extensive ﬁeldworks
would reveal much more species diversity of
Myanmar Zingiber.

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Mu Mu Aung and Nobuyuki Tanaka

Materials and Methods
The ﬁeld surveys to collect Zingiber species
were carried out in Mandalay Region, Kayah
State, Kayin State, Shan State, Sagain Region,
Tanintharyi Region (old Tenasserim) in Myanmar between 2014 and 2018. Dried and pressed
herbarium specimens and spirit collections weremade and deposited in RAF and TNS. Photographic data used in the ﬁgures in this study wereprepared in the ﬁeld. The specimens collected
were morphologically examined for rigorous
identiﬁcation. Herbarium specimens from Myanmar and neighboring countries (other Continental
SE Asia) kept in A, AAU, BK, BKF, BM, BO, E,
K, MBK, RAF, TI and TNS were examined.
Additional materials were also accessed as hiresolution digital images from the following herbaria: G, L, P and US. The distribution of
Zingiber species in the world was also checkedbased on Plants of the World Online (http://
powo.science.kew.org).
New Records
Zingiber bradleyanum Craib in Bull. Misc.
Inform. Kew 1912: 403 (1912). Type: THAILAND. Chiang Mai, Doi Sutep, 300 m alt., Kerr
763 (lecto-K!, designated by Theilade, 1999,
isolecto-E, digital image!). Fig. 1. A–B.
Specimens examined: MYANMAR. KAYAH
STATE: Nat Taung Reserved Forest, Chikae,
Loikaw Township. 975 m elev., 19°42′00″N,
97°15′74″E, Mu Mu Aung et al. MMA82 (RAF,
TNS); Kholeso reserved forest, Phruso Township. 1167 m elev., 19°22′10″N, 97°13′42″E, Mu
Mu Aung et al. MMA098 (RAF, TNS). MANDALAY REGION: along the highway road, Pyin Oo
Lwin Township, 1072 m elev., 21°58′14.497″N,
96°25′45.092″E, Mu Mu Aung et al. MMA215(RAF, TNS); Singyaung-lay, Pyin Oo Lwin
Township, 1150 m elev., 21°58′18.411″N,
96°29′40.170″E, Mu Mu Aung et al. MMA212(RAF, TNS).
Distribution: Myanmar and Thailand.
Note: Zingiber bradleyanum is well character-ized by its long, bilobed ligules with whitish
margin. The lobes are slightly twisted and often
unattached to the leafy stem. Thus far all collections of this species have been obtained from
central part of Myanmar.
Zingiber chrysanthum Roscoe, Monandr. Pl.
Scitam.: t. 86 (1824); Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6:
243 (1892); Kumar in Hajra et al., Fl. Sikkim 1:
133 (1996); Tripathi and Singh in J. Econ. Taxon.
Bot. 30: 524 (2006). Type: An illustration of
Monandr. Pl. Scitam. t. 86. Fig. 1. C–D.
Specimen examined: MYANMAR. KAYAH
STATE: 21 km SW of Phruso, Phruso Townshipbetween Mawthido village and Rae Parar village,
1450 m elev., 19°21′50.5″N, 97°01′40.4″E, Tanaka
et al. MY3502 (RAF, TNS).
Distribution: Bhutan, India (N & NE), Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal.
Note: Zingiber chrysanthum, a Himalayan species, thus far recorded from Indo-Himalayan
region, was found in SE of Myanmar in thisstudy (Fig. 2). According to the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (https://biodiversity.bt), this species isapparently distributed in Bhutan based on thephoto image provided in the database. It has beenreported that Mt. Victoria (Natma Taung) in Chin
Hill acted as a refugia for the Sino-Himalayanelements (Kingdon-Ward, 1956; Tanaka, 2005).
According to this study, mountain region at highelevation, even if in southeastern part of Myanmar, is considered to be a refugia for the Himalayan species.
Zingiber densissimum S.Q.Tong & Y.M.Xia
in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 25: 467 (1987); Tong and
Xia in Fl. Yunnan 8: 538 (1999); Wu and Larsen
in Fl. China 24: 330 (2000); Souvannakhoummane & Leong-Škorničková in Nordic J. Bot. 75:
4 (2018). Type: CHINA. Yunnan, Menghai,
1400 m, S.Q.Tong & Y.M.Xia 24998 (holoHITBC). Fig. 3. A–B.
Specimens examined: MYANMAR. MANDALAY REGION: Singyaung-lay, Pyin Oo Lwin
Township, 1150 m elev., 21°58′18.411″N,
96°29′40.170″E, Mu Mu Aung et al. MMA223

Seven new records of Zingiber from Myanmar

3

Fig. 1. A–B. Zingiber bradleyanum. A: Flower in front view. B: Leafy stem showing ligules. C–D. Z. chrysanthum. C: Flower in front and side view. D: Leafy stem showing ligules.

(RAF, TNS). SHAN STATE: Shwe Borne Pwit
Pagoda, North Taunggyi Nature Reserve, Taunggyi, 1700 m elev., 20°46′35.1″N, 97°03′03.6″E,
Tanaka et al. MY3555 (RAF, TNS).
Distribution: China, Laos, Myanmar and Thai-

land.
Note: Zingiber densissimum is close to Z.
bradleyanum and Z. orbiculatum in having whiteorbicular labellum and bright yellow anther,
however it is distinguished from both of the two

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Mu Mu Aung and Nobuyuki Tanaka

Fig. 2. Distribution of Z. chrysanthum. Solid circles showing the previous recorded locations based on Long etal. 842 (E), Mikage et al. 9558137 (TI) and Tripathi and Singh (2006). Star showing the new location reported
here.

in having bilobed ligules, white hairs on leafy
stem and lower surface of lamina. Zingiber densissimum is also characterized by inﬂorescenceoften covered with gelatinous substance to keep
the moisture for its delicate ﬂowers. The species
is commonly found in the eastern part of Myanmar.
Zingiber mekongense Gagnep. in Bull. Soc.
Bot. France 54: 168 (1907); Gagnepain, in
Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 6: 79 (1908); Triboun etal. in Thai J. Bot. 6: 57 (2014). Type: LAOS. De
Stung Streng à Kong, Luang-prabang, Thorel

2198 (holo-P, digital image!). Fig. 3. C–D.
Specimens examined: MYANMAR. KAYAH
STATE: Lweekahtai, Demawso Township,
1166 m elev., 19°34′30″N, 96°59′54″E. Mu Mu
Aung et al. MMA93 (RAF, TNS); Rhunku village, Demotho Township, Loikaw District,
1240 m elev., 19°35′03.84″N, 97°00′12.24″E,
Tanaka et al. MY3467 (RAF, TNS).
Distribution: Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
Note: Zingiber mekongense was describedfrom Laos by Gagnepain (1907), and wasrecently recognized from Thailand (Triboun etal., 2014). The species is very similar to Z. ﬂa-

Seven new records of Zingiber from Myanmar

Fig. 3. A–B. Zingiber densissimum. A: Inﬂorescence. Flower in front view (inset). B: Leafy stem showing ligules. C–D. Z. mekongense. C: Flower in front view. D: Leafy stem showing ligules.

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Mu Mu Aung and Nobuyuki Tanaka

Fig. 4. A–B. Zingiber ottensii. A: Inﬂorescence. B: Leafy stem showing ligules. C–D. Z. parishii subsp. phuphanense. C: Inﬂorescence. Flower in side view (inset). D: Leafy stem showing ligules. E–F. Z. tenuiscapus. E:
Inﬂorescence with a ﬂower. F: Leafy stem showing ligules.

Seven new records of Zingiber from Myanmar

vomaculosum S.Q.Tong, which was also reported
from Myanmar recently (Aung et al., 2015), butdiffers from it in having densely imbricate inﬂorescence bracts with convex, acute, brown hairy
apex. The color of inﬂorescence bracts varied
from red to green. This specis is often growing
on the bamboo forest ﬂoor in Myanmar.
Zingiber ottensii Valeton in Bull. Jard. Bot.
Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 27: 136, t.19 (1918); Ridley,
Fl. Mal. Penin. 4: 259 (1924); Holttum in Gardensʼ Bull. Singapore 13: 56 (1950); Theilade in
Gardensʼ Bull. Singapore 48: 223 (1998). Type:INDONESIA. Java, Bogor, Ottens 676 (lecto-L,
designated by Theilade, 1998, isolecto–K!). Fig.
4. A–B.
Specimens examined: MYANMAR. TANINTHARYI REGION: Taninthryi Nature Reserve,
Myo Min Latt, TNR 00198 & 00199 (RAF!).
Distribution: Indonesia (Java, Sumatra), Laos,
Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand andVietnam.
Note: Zingiber ottensii has been reported as avillage plant and used for medicine by local people in Thailand (Theilade, 1998, 1999), however
the above collection in RAF shows its distribution in peninsular part (Tanintharyi) of Myanmar.
The location of the specimens is inside theTanintharyi Nature Reserve, and it is considered
to grow in the wild. During our ﬁeld works in
Tanintharyi Region, we came across this plant
being cultivated in a villager residence too,
which was collected from the forest. Recently Z.
ottensii was also reported from Vietnam (Ly etal., 2016). Rhizomes are dark purple inside.
Zingiber parishii Hook.f. subsp. phuphanense
Triboun & K.Larsen in Thai J. Bot. 6: 62 (2014);
Souvannakhoummane & Leong-Škorničková in
Nordic J. Bot. 75: 10 (2018). Type: THAILAND.
Sakon Nakhon, Phu Pan, Triboun & Kantachote3323 (holo-BKF, iso-AAU!). Fig. 4. C–D.
Specimens examined: MYANMAR. KAYAH
STATE: Nan Oo reserved forest, Loilin Lay village, Loikaw Township, 821 m elev., 19°51′43″N,
97°14′16″E, Mu Mu Aung et al. MMA088 (RAF,

7

TNS). KAYIN STATE: Thaundaung Reserve
Forest, Thaundaungyi Township, 410 m elev.,
N19°01′23.9″, E96°36′41.04″, Tanaka et al.
MY3411 (RAF, TNS).
Distribution: Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
Note: Zingiber parishii subsp. phuphanense
was originally described from E. Thailand, however, recently it was also recorded from Laos
(Souvannakhoummane and Leong-Škorničková,2018). In Myanmar plant the labellum has more
prominent purplish blue streaks than that fromthe Thai and Laos, but it matches very well theoriginal protologue by Triboun et al. (2014) andthe illustration by Souvannakhoummane andLeong-Škorničková (2018). Accordingly, we tentatively accommodate this plant in a variation
within Z. parishii subsp. phuphanense, and do
not give any other names for this plant at thisstage. Further clariﬁcation of its entity is muchneeded and probably more ﬁeld observation andcollections are required to compare to the Thaiand Laos plants, and also need to compare with
Z. parishii subsp. parishii. Zingiber parishii
subsp. parishii is easily recognized by yellowish
inﬂorescence bracts with orange tip and more
purplish red tinged labellum.
Zingiber tenuiscapus Triboun & K.Larsen in
Thai J. Bot. 6: 65 (2014). Type: THAILAND.
Tak Mae Sot, Triboun 3343 (holo-BK!, isoAAU!). Fig. 4. E–F.
Specimen examined: MYANMAR. TANINTHARYI REGION: Michaung Hlaung (old village), Taninthayi Reserved Forest, Yephyu Township, 35 m elev., Tanaka et al. MMA157 (RAF,
TNS).
Distribution: Myanmar (south) and Thailand.
Local name (Myanmar): Pade-kaw.
Note: Zingiber tenuiscapus is well characterized by its pubescent brown ligules and labellum
with half ring-shaped pink red mottle at base.
This species is common in Tanintharyi, peninsular region of Myanmar, where local villagers also
cultivate and use their rhizomes as medicine.

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Mu Mu Aung and Nobuyuki Tanaka

Acknowledgments
This study was carried out by the integrated
research project “Biological Inventory with special attention to Myanmar” initiated by the
National Museum of Nature and Science(NMNS), Japan based on MoU between NMNS
and Forest Department, Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environmental Conservation,
Myanmar, and also supported by JSPS
KAKENHI Grant Number K07207 (to N.
Tanaka). Thanks are due to curators of A, AAU,
BK, BKF, BM, BO, E, K, MBK, RAF and TI for
allowing access to their collections. We are grateful to Forest Department, Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environmental Conservation for
their permission to carry out ﬁeld works in several national parks and reserved forests, and fortheir support and collaboration.
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