Taxon:  Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M. Sm.



Summary
Genus:
Etlingera
Family:
Zingiberaceae
Subfamily:
Alpinioideae
Tribe:
Alpinieae
Nomen number:
409477
Place of publication:
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43:244.  1986
Verified:
10/09/1997 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
13 (2  active, 2  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Alpinia elatior Jack

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Nicolaia elatior (Jack) Horan.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Alpinia magnifica Roscoe
Amomum magnificum ined.
Elettaria speciosa Blume
Nicolaia speciosa (Blume) Horan.
Phaeomeria magnifica (Roscoe) K. Schum.
Phaeomeria speciosa (Blume) Koord.

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  4. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  5. Kool, A. et al. Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Lao PDR (on-line resource).
  6. Luc-Cayol, F. & L. Fereol. 1997. ×Alpingera martinica (Zingiberaceae): an intergeneric hybrid between Alpinia purpurata and Etlingera elatior. HortScience 32:914.
  7. Newman, M. et al. 2004. Checklist of the Zingiberaceae of Malesia. Blumea Suppl. 16:75-76.
  8. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  9. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  10. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishPhilippine waxflower  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Englishtorch-ginger  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Malaykantan  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanishboca de dragón as Nicolaia elatior2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishfackelingefära  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos possibly nativeKool, A. et al. Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Lao PDR (on-line resource).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia possibly nativeNewman, M. et al. 2004. Checklist of the Zingiberaceae of Malesia. Blumea Suppl. 16:75-76.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia possibly nativeNewman, M. et al. 2004. Checklist of the Zingiberaceae of Malesia. Blumea Suppl. 16:75-76.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Newman, M. et al. 2004. Checklist of the Zingiberaceae of Malesia. Blumea Suppl. 16:75-76.
2Cultivated    widely cult. elsewhere in tropicsLuc-Cayol, F. & L. Fereol. 1997. ×Alpingera martinica (Zingiberaceae): an intergeneric hybrid between Alpinia purpurata and Etlingera elatior. HortScience 32:914.
2CultivatedAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaLesser Sunda Islands Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
2CultivatedAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia  Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Native
Asia-Tropical
  • INDO-CHINA: Laos (possibly native)
  • MALESIA: Indonesia (possibly native), Malaysia (possibly native), Philippines
Cultivated

  • REGION:
Asia-Tropical
  • MALESIA: Indonesia [Lesser Sunda Islands], Malaysia

Reference(s)
  1. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  2. Kool, A. et al. Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Lao PDR (on-line resource).
  3. Luc-Cayol, F. & L. Fereol. 1997. ×Alpingera martinica (Zingiberaceae): an intergeneric hybrid between Alpinia purpurata and Etlingera elatior. HortScience 32:914.
  4. Newman, M. et al. 2004. Checklist of the Zingiberaceae of Malesia. Blumea Suppl. 16:75-76.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Environmentalornamental Luc-Cayol, F. & L. Fereol. 1997. ×Alpingera martinica (Zingiberaceae): an intergeneric hybrid between Alpinia purpurata and Etlingera elatior. HortScience 32:914.
Food additivesflavoring Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=409477. Accessed 9 November 2026.