Hedychium J. Konig
Obs. Bot.3: 73 (1783)

Description:
     Terrestrial or epiphytic herbs with long, robust rhizome. Inflorescence terminal on the leafy shoot; bracts broad and densely imbricate, or narrow and leaving the inflorescence axis visible, cincinni several-flowered, rarely flowers single; bracteole tubular; flowers white, yellow or red; calyx tubular, unequally dentate; corolla tube usually much longer than calyx and bracts, lobes narrow, reflexed; lateral staminodes about as long as petals, but broader and spreading; labellum usually conspicuous and pendulous, emarginate to 2-lobed; filament usually much longer than the anther, linear, thecae elongated, crest absent; ovary 3-locular. Capsule trigonous, globose or ellipsoid, dehiscent; seed with red, lacerate aril. 2n = 34, 51, 68. (From Kubitzki, et al., p. 482)

Geographical Distribution:
     Widely distributed in south and southeast Asia; most diverse in the southern tropical Himalalya region from north India to south China, but also rich in species in the Malesian region.

Taxonomic Diversity:
     Comprises about 50 species.