Wild Ginger

Growth habit

Herbaceous

Perennation

Long-lived polycarpic perennial

Native distribution

Japan, China

Source of plant

Asiatica Nursery

Description

Herbs sparsely to moderately white pubescent, hairs remaining white when dried. Rhizomes horizontal, 2-3 mm in diam., internodes 3-6 cm. Leaves paired; petiole 6-12 cm, sparsely villous; leaf blade uniformly colored, subcordate, 4-9 — 5-10 cm, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent, base cordate, lateral lobes 1.5-2.5 — 2.5-4 cm, apex acuminate; cataphylls broadly ovate, ca. 1.3 — 1.3 cm. Peduncle pendent, 1-2 cm. Calyx pink to purplish, cupulate, 0.8-1.3 — 0.8-1.4 cm; sepals free beyond attachment to ovary, abaxially villous, adaxially puberulent; pseudotube subglobose, 0.3-0.6 — 0.8-1.3 cm; lobes reflexed, triangular, 0.3-0.6 — 0.6-0.8 cm. Stamens 12, slightly exserted; filaments as long as anthers; connectives extended beyond anthers, subcylindric. Ovary inferior. Styles connate, apex 6-cleft, slightly exserted; stigmas terminal. Fl. Apr-May. * Mixed forests, in humus; 700-1700 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan. This species is used medicinally.

USDA Hardiness Zone

4

Special characteristics

medicinal/pharmaceutical