Globba winitii C.H.Wright

국표에 없다.

Familia: Zingiberaceae
Subfamilia: Zingiberoideae
Tribus: Globbeae
Genus: Globba
Species: Globba winitii

Name

Globba winitii C.H.Wright in Craib, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1926(4): 173 (1926); as 'Globba (Marantella) Winitii'

• Typus: Phra Winit Wanadorn 1228 (isotypus: BK257595 [collected in 8 November 1924]).
• Type locality: Siam[Thailand]. Lampun[Lamphun]: Mê Kaw (แม่กิ่ว), 420 m., moist shady banks of streams.

Globba winitii - Wikispecies (wikimedia.org)

Scientific name:

Plant family:

Common name:

Lao name:

Globba winitii C.H. Wright

Zingiberaceae

Thaï Beauty

(vane nam)

Another plant whose Laotian name is not yet fixed, though it is native to the region, particularly Thailand. We are discussing it because it is truly beautiful and deserves to be known.

It is a perennial with rhizomes, shorter than ginger, with alternate, lanceolate leaves that are heart-shaped at the base. The flower consists of a vibrant pink bract, from which emerges a long tube in purple or yellow, ending with yellow petals. The overall effect is stunning, colorful, and light; one of its English names is Red Dancing Girl. The fruit is a capsule that bursts open, dispersing seeds that ants are fond of. This beautiful wild ginger has naturally captured the interest of horticulturists who have created cultivars, adding to the numerous species in the region. Indeed, the Indochinese Peninsula is rich in Zingiberaceae, far from being fully explored. Botanists regularly discover new plants, sometimes leading to a complete reclassification; the taxonomy of the family can be described as quite ambiguous, with numerous synonyms and significant gaps. Currently, it comprises fifty-three genera (one thousand five hundred species), with fifty originating from Southeast Asia.

In general, these rhizomatous plants often possess medicinal properties, being tonic or refreshing. The challenge lies in determining the species when examining roots at markets, whether they are sold as vegetables or medicinal herbs, as only a part of the plant is available. Sellers refer to them as van nam or van pa, meaning “water rhizome” and “forest rhizome”; van nam likely corresponds to a genus like Globba. The significance in medicine and magic of plants named van is well-known; they are prescribed for various ailments.

While waiting to learn more through the work of botanists, one can admire these mysterious plants that bring forth such strange flowers from the earth.

Globba winitii | Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden (pha-tad-ke.com)

Globba winitii | Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden (pha-tad-ke.com)

https://youtu.be/4YVQpW6kGHQ