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Borneo is one of the most exciting places to study the richness of plant life on Earth and home to more than 300 ginger species. Etlingera is among the most diverse and attractive of the genera found there; several species are used as food, spice, medicine, ornamentals or for other purposes and it therefore becomes crucial to be able to identify them.
The present revision treats 42 taxa, including 16 new species, one new subspecies, one new variety, and one new combination. This more than doubles the number of species since modern careful revision was begun by Rosemary M. Smith 20 years ago.
The first chapters of the book give an introduction to the genus including its taxonomic history, morphology, ecology, uses, and conservation. Local names and uses by the peoples of Borneo emphasize the great potential that the genus Etlingera offers for the future.
A key is provided to the identification of the species; most are described in detail and illustrated by beautiful colour photographs and line drawings. The first descriptions and illustrations of the fruits of several species are also provided and show the importance of fruit characters for identification. The meanings of the scientific plant names are explained, the conservation status of each species is assessed, notes are added on ecology, uses and history, and a distribution map is given.
Foreword ix
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2: The Plant 3
Habits 3
Vegetative characters 3
Inflorescence 4
Flowers 5
Infructescence, fruits and seeds 10
Chromosome numbers 11
Chapter 3: Etlingera in Borneo 13
History 13
Distribution 13
Species richness 14
Ecology 14
Reproductive Biology 15
Speciation 17
Ethnobotany 18
Conservation 21
Chapter 4: Material and Methods 23
Collecting and Identifying Etlingera 23
Collections 23
Distribution maps and conservation status 23
Measurements 24
Collectors and abbreviations 24
Informal groups 25
Species concept 25
Key to the Bornean species of Etlingera 26
1. Etlingera albolutea 31
2. Etlingera amomoides 35
3. Etlingera aurantia 39
4. Etlingera baculutea 44
5. Etlingera balikpapanensis 48
6. Etlingera baramensis 52
7. Etlingera barioensis 57
8. Etlingera belalongensis 61
9. Etlingera brachychila 66
10. Etlingera brachychila var. vinosa 71
11. Etlingera brevilabrum 75
12. Etlingera burttii 84
13. Etlingera coccinea 88
14. Etlingera corrugata 96
15. Etlingera crispata 101
16. Etlingera dictyota 107
17. Etlingera elatior 111
18. Etlingera facifera 119
19. Etlingera fimbriobracteata 123
20. Etlingera foetens 132
21. Etlingera insolita 138
22. Etlingera inundata 142
23. Etlingera isip 148
24. Etlingera kenyalang 153
25. Etlingera lagarophylla 159
26. Etlingera longipetiolata 162
27. Etlingera megalocheilos 167
28. Etlingera metriocheilos 175
29. Etlingera muriformis 181
30. Etlingera nasuta 186
31. Etlingera newmanii 191
32. Etlingera otiolophos 193
33. Etlingera palangkensis 197
34. Etlingera pubescens 199
35. Etlingera pyramidosphaera 207
36. Etlingera rosamariae 213
37. Etlingera rubromarginata 221
38. Etlingera sayapensis 227
39. Etlingera sessilanthera 232
40. Etlingera velutina 237
41. Etlingera velutina subsp. longipedunculata 243
42. Etlingera sp. A 246
Acknowledgements 248
Publisher’s Acknowledgement 249
References 249
Identification List 252
Index to Vernacular Names 259
Index to Scientific Names 261
Dr Axel Poulsen is a tropical forest botanist with more than 15 years of experience, especially in Borneo. He has worked in Asia, Africa and South America, and has been associated with universities and botanic gardens in Denmark, Malaysia, The Netherlands and Scotland, as lecturer or researcher.
