Amomum aculeatum Roxb.
Family
Zingiberaceae
Synonyms
A. ciliatum Blume, A. flavum Ridley.
Vernacular Names
| Indonesia | Parahulu, prahulu (Sundanese), wola waliyan (Javanese). |
| Papua New Guinea | Apiyamga (Gulf), qulengapaie (Morobe). |
Geographical Distributions
Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia (Penang), Sumatra, Java, Papua New Guinea; sometimes cultivated in Java.
Description
This large herb can grow measures up to 400 cm tall, with stout and long underground rhizome and rather slender, measuring up to 1.5 cm thick and with leafy stems.
The leaves are lance-shaped and with a size of measuring 10-60 cm x 2-9 cm.
The inflorescence is with base in the ground, measures up to 10 cm long, dense and rounded. The bracts are measures about 3.5 cm x 1.5 cm, thin, brownish and soon disintegrating. The bracteoles are about 1 cm long and tubular at the base. The flowers are pedicelled and far exserted from the bracts. The petal tube is about as long as the sepal, pale flesh-coloured to orange lobes, orange-yellow labellum with much small crimson spots and lines that form a closed cup with dorsal petal. The anther is with considerably spreading crest.
The dark purplish fruit is measuring 2-3.5 cm x 1.5-2 cm and covered with fleshy greenish spines.
Ecology / Cultivation
A. aculeatum occurs in Java in primary forest and teak forest up to 800 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12 (1): Medicinal and poisonous plants.
