Boesenbergia pulcherrima (Wall.) Kuntze

 Boesenbergia pulcherrima Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 685 (1891).

Boesenbergia pulcherrima Kuntze, Photo by Lê Tố Tâm

its native range is Assam to Peninsula Malaysia.

Vietnamese name: 

Latin Name: 

Boesenbergia pulcherrima Kuntze

Synonym Name: 

Gastrochilus pulcherrimus Wall.

Family: 

Zingiberaceae

Description: 

Herbs perennial, rhizomatous. Rhizomes globose, 2.1-3.0 × 1.8–2.5 cm, non-aromatic, outer surfaces brownish, white inside. Roots many, fleshy; tubers cylindrical or spindle-shaped, 2.3–2.7 × 1.7 cm, white inside. Leafy shoot 45–75 cm, internodes 4–8 cm long. Leaves 5–7, arranged towards the upper part of the stem, 19–22 cm long, shortly petiolate or sessile; petiole, if present, 0.4–0.9 cm long, green, sheaths maroon in the younger stage; lamina elliptic-lanceolate, 13–21 × 4–5 cm, membranous, apices acuminate, bases tapering, glabrous, veins raised at regular intervals, lower surfaces maroon in the younger leaves; ligules oblong, c. 0.8–1.3 cm long, bilobed, membranous, hyaline, light green, glabrous or minutely pubescent at tip. Inflorescences sessile, enclosed within the terminal leaf sheaths, 6–14 cm long. Bracts distichous, c. 10–11, each subtending a single flower, oblong, the connective. Ovary barrel-shaped, 0.5–0.7 cm long, glabrous, tricarpellary, trilocular with many ovules on axile placentum. Style filiform, 4.2–4.4 cm long, glabrous, white. Stigma cup-shaped, sparsely hairy, white. Epigynous glands two, linear, 0.3–0.6 cm long, cream coloured. Fruit not seen. Bulbil formation is common.

Flowers: 

June – September.

Distribution: 

Assam, Malaya, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Ecological: 

Chemical constituents and Pharmacology:

The essential oil was characterized by GC-MS profiling, unveiled the occurrence of 21 major volatile constituents. Palmitic acid (75.56%) was found to be most predominant compound followed by spathulenol (7.51%), palmitoleic acid (5.51%), humulene epoxide II (3.06%) and citronellyl formate (3.05%). Antimicrobial activity indicates Shigella flexneri and Aspergillus flavus was highly susceptible to Boesenbergia pulcherrima essential oil when compared to Klebsiella pneumonia and Aspergillus parasiticus. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Reducing Power Assay and Total Antioxidant Capacity which depicts a promising antioxidant activity when compared to the standard Ascorbic acid. Hence, Boesenbergia pulcherrima essential oil comprised potential chemical constituents which could be commercially exploited in several fields including food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.

Uses:

Typus:

Lectotype (designated here): Wallich, Plantae Asiaticae Rariores. 1: t. 24. 1829 (K!) 

References

https://www.ipni.org/n/795746-1

http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:795746-1

https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/243840

Manoj G, Manohar SH, Murthy HN. Chemical constituents, antioxidant and antimocrobial activity of essential oil of Pogostemon paniculatus (Willd.). Nat Prod Res. 2012;26(22):2152-4. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2011.633082. Epub 2011 Dec 2. PMID: 22132692. http://www.plantarchives.org/PDF%20SUPPLEMENT%202019/85__515-521_.pdf 

Kizhakkethil, Aishwarya & Mamiyil, Sabu. (2015). Boesenbergia pulcherrima and B. tiliifolia (Zingiberaceae) in India: Notes on the identity, variability and typification. Rheedea. 25. 59-68.http://www.iaat.org.in/images/Rheedea_downloads/Rheedea_25_1/Rheedea_25_1_59-68.pdf