1109

Hedychium stenopetalum Lodd.

Synonym	:	Hedychium  sirirugsae
Family	:	Zingiberaceae
Flowering and fruiting period	:	August–November
Distribution	:	India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces of China, northern Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Endemic/exotic	:	Exotic
Uses	:	Ornamental
Key botanical characters: Rhizome 2.8–4 cm wide, creamy white internally, pale pink externally, slightly aromatic. Leafy shoot 137–300 cm high, robust. Leaves sessile; sheath 1.8–2.6 cm wide, margins green, membranous, translucent, pubescent; lamina 45–62 x 6.3–13 cm, elliptic, dark green and puberulent above, pale green and pubescent below; margin undulate, membranous. Inflorescence 28–52 cm long, cylindrical, lax, erect. Bracts 4.6–4.8 x 2.8–3.1 cm, elliptic, green, glabrous, pubescent towards tip, coriaceous, convolute; cincinnus 4–8 -flowered. Flower 12.6–12.8 cm long, white with faintly creamy yellow blotch at centre of labellum, many flowers open at a time, slightly fragrant.