Genus Hedychium in Eastern India

Abstract

This paper re-evaluates the various morphological characters of taxonomic interest in the genus Hedychium, suggests recognition of only 17 species in Eastern India within the limits of 19 species studied, proposes a key for their easy recognition and presents an enumeration of the species together with field data on the habit and habitat of each species. It seems that the edges of the tropical and subtropical evergreen forests provide "natural home" for the genus Hedychium, although H. aurantiacum and H. densiflorum ascend higher to temperate altitudes. H. aureum, H. gratum, H. greenii, H. hookeri and H. marginatum and a few varieties of H. coronarium turn up as endemics to Eastern India.

H. luteum Herb. Calcut. as a biotype of H. coronarium and H. griffithianum Wall. as synonymous to H. venustum Wight and finally, H. coronarium var. elwesii (Baker) Naik comb nov. and H. coronarium var. subditum (Turrill) Naik comb. nov. as two new combinations are proposed.