Page 102 - journal-6-1-Full

˘Ú «“√ “√°“√·æ∑¬å·ºπ‰∑¬·≈–°“√·æ∑¬å∑“߇≈◊Õ° ªï∑’Ë ˆ©∫—∫∑’Ë Ò ¡°√“§¡ - ‡¡…“¬π ÚııÒ

Belief ported by the Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Fund
The genus Kaempferia L. comprises several plants of the Ministry of Public Health. The authors would like
known in the Thai folk taxonomy as wan, a plant to thank Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat for his encourage-
group, most of which have underground storage roots ment and support and the curators and staff members of
or stems; such plants are used as a medicine, or are BKF (Bangkok Forest Herbarium), QBG (Queen Sirikit
believed to produce certain spiritual effects. Taxo- Botanic Garden Herbarium), PSU (Prince of Songkla Uni-
nomically, they are certain plants in several plant fami- versity Herbarium), SING (Singapore Herbarium), K (Royal
lies, such as Araceae, Zingiberaceae, Liliaceae, Botanic Gardens Kew Herbarium), and P (Natural History
Amaryllidaceae, and Orchidaceae, among others. Museum Herbarium, Paris) for herbaruim access, and the
From our research work on this folk plant group, we staff of our research group: Mr. Chalermchoke Boonchit,
recognized some wans in this genus. Table 1 shows Mr. Jeeradej Mayoe, Mr. Piyapong Yupparach, and Mrs.
the list of the wans which, according to modern tax- Pornpimon Wongsuwan for field assistance.
onomy, belong to the Kaempferia L. with their ver-
nacular names and uses.
The çspiritualé uses shown in Table 1 are associ-
ated with a wide ranges of uses, including help in
attracting other people, protection people from ghosts References
and evil, and protection of skin/bodies against any 1. Picheansoonthon C, Koonterm S, Chaiyoot A, Sukrong S. 2008. A
new species of Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) from Laos, with further
kind of weapons. Resulting from our intensive field
information on other Caulokaempferia species from Laos. Nat Hist
trips throughout the country, we have collected these
Bull Siam Soc 2008; (in press).
wans and identified them scientifically. Some folk taxa 2. Picheansoonthon C, Chaiyoot A, Sukrong S. Jirawongsia, a new genus
may turn out to belong to the same scientific taxon. of the family Zingiberaceae. Folia malaysiana 2008;9 (in press).
This may be a result of the plants in this genus being 3. Picheansoonthon C, Wongsuwan P. Notes on the genus Hedychium
Koenig (Zingiberaceae) in Thailand. J Royal Inst Thail 2008; (in press).
quite variable vegetatively. K. angustifolia Roscoe is
4. Picheansoonthon P, Yupparach P. Notes on the genus Elettariopsis
a good example, since the leaves can vary greatly in Bak. (Zingiberaceae) in Thailand. J Thai Trad Alt Med 2007; 5:267-78.
size and coloration, and hence have different vernacu- 5. Picheansoonthon P, Lim CK, Chaiyoot A, Sukrong S. A new species
lar names. of Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) from southern Thailand. Folia
malaysiana 8:53-6.
6. Picheansoonthon C, P. Mokkamul. A new species of Caulokaempferia
Horticulture
(Zingiberaceae) from southern Laos. Nat Hist Bull Siam Soc 2006;54:75-
Some taxa in the genus Kaempferia L. have or 80.
may have horticultural potential. K. elegans Wall. ex 7. Picheansoonthon C, Mokkamul P. Two new species of Hedychium
Koenig (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand. Folia malaysiana 2005;6:17-26.
Baker has been developed for this purpose owing to
8. Picheansoonthon C, Mokkamul P. A new species of Caulokaempferia
its beautiful leaves and flowers. It is commonly used
from southern Thailand. Folia malaysiana 2004;5:1-8.
as a garden decoration or as a pot plant. Leaf color, 9. Picheansoonthon C, P. Mokkamul. Two new Caulokaempferia
form, and coloration of this taxon are selected and (Zingiberaceae) from northeastern Thailand. Folia malaysiana 2004;
cultivated according to market value. 5:69-80.
10. Mokkamul P, C. Picheansoonthon. A new Caulokaempferia (Zingibe-
Several other species, including K. roscoeana
raceae) from southern Thailand. Folia Malaysiana 2004;5:187-194.
Wall., and K. galanga L., are also currently grown as
11. Linnaeus C. Species Plantarum (first edition). 1753;2.
pot plants. 12. Linnaeus C. Genera Plantarum (fifth edition). 1754;3.
13. Burtt BL, Smith RM. Key species in the taxonomic history of
Acknowledgements Zingiberaceae. Notes RBG Edinb 1972;31:177-228.
14. Kam YK. Taxonomic studies in the genus Kaempferia (Zingiberaceae).
This study is part of the research project entitled
Notes RBG Edinb 1980;38:1-12.
çStudies on fundamental botanical knowledge and DNA 15. Baker JG. Scitamineae. In: Hooker JD: Flora of British India. Vol. 6.
fingerprints of the Thai medicinal wané, financially sup- London. 1890. pp 225-33.