Alpinia nieuwenhuizii, also known as lalemas (in Iban) or terebak (in Sabah), is a species of flowering plant, a perennial tropical forest herb in the ginger family, that is endemic to Borneo.[1]
| Alpinia nieuwenhuizii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genus: | Alpinia |
| Species: | A. nieuwenhuizii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Alpinia nieuwenhuizii | |
Description
editThe species grows as a clump of leafy shoots to 2–3.5 m in height from branching rhizomes in the topsoil. The leaves grow from a pseudostem with a swollen base composed of the leaf sheaths. The inflorescence is a lax terminal panicle of white, red and cream flowers. The round, edible fruits are green or red when young, ripening yellow, containing small seeds in a whitish aril.[1]
Distribution and habitat
editThe species is found in the lowland and mixed dipterocarp forest, as well as secondary forest, at elevations of up to 1,000 m, often along streams.[1]
Usage
editThe species is rarely cultivated, with the fruits eaten mainly by hunter-gatherers. The shoots may be eaten as a vegetable.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Lamb, Anthony (2019). A guide to wild fruits of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo). p. 268. ISBN 978-983-812-191-0.
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