Page 84 - journal-6-1-Full

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

18
in two main aspects, taxonomy and ethnobotany, re- Haniffia cyanescens (Ridl.) Holtt.
sulting from our specimen-based investigation and
Generic features
intensive field research throughout Thailand and Laos,
combined with previous reports on the genus. The Schumann (1903) considered the trilocular ovary
objective of the paper is to set up the most up-to- with axile placentation a key character of the genus
19
date baseline information on the genus Kaempferia Kaempferia L. However, this character is common
L. for future studies on all aspects, including new to other genera and seems to be variable within the
14
drug development. genus. Therefore, a combination of several diag-
nostic characteristics, both vegetative and floral mor-
Taxonomy phology, is essential for taxonomic decision at any

species level.
History The vegetative characters of taxa found in South-

The genus Kaempferia L. was established in 1753 east Asia are often associated with the fleshy rhi-
11,12
with two species: K. galanga L. and K. rotunda L. zomes, usually short, with several roots in a fascicle.
The former taxon was first described by a German The roots of some species, particularly those with
botanist, Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716), and was inflorescence separated from and preceding leaf-
chosen to be the lectotype for the genus by Hitchcock shoots, are fibrous with terminal globular to fusiform
13,14
and Green, and by Phillips. Since then, several storage tubers. Leaves range from one to a few; they
new taxa from Asia and Africa have been described. are filiform to very broad, rising from the rhizomes,
Baker (1890) listed four subgenera with a total of usually with keeled sheathes, short to long petioles,
22 species in his account on the genus Kaempferia L. small, inconspicuous, or without ligules. One to a few
for British India: Sincorus Horan. (12 species), large ovate to orbicular prostrate or accumbent leaves
Protanthium Horan. (2 species), onolophus Wall. (7 are characteristic of some taxa, e.g. K. galanga L., K.
15
species), and Stachyanthesis Benth. (1 species). laotica Gagnep., K. marginata Carey. Narrowly linear
However, some of these taxa have currently been to filiform leaf blades are unique to a certain group,
transferred to other related genera, i.e. Boesenbergia i.e., K. fissa Gagnep., K. fallax Gagnep., and K. filifolia
Kuntze, Camptandra Ridl., Caulokaempferia K.Larsen, K. Larsen. However, from our intensive studies on
and Stahlianthus Kuntze. Much later, Kam (1980) made the herbarium specimens available and our investi-
the exemplary and lucid analyses on the taxonomic gation of living specimens, these characters can vary
history of the genus and pointed out that the subge- greatly within a species.
nus Sincorus (Horan.) Baker includes the generic type, The inflorescence of all species found in Thai-
14
and, therefore, should become subgenus Kaempferia. land is either separated from (in all taxa preceding
She tentatively recognized three groups as sections the appearance of the leaf-shoots), or terminal on and
of Asiatic species: Sect. Kaempferia (the K. galanga contemporaneous with the leaf-shoots. The terminal
group), Sect. Protanthium (Horan.) Benth. (the K. ro- inflorescence often forms a pedunculate head, and all
tunda group), and Sect. Stachyantheis Benth., with its primary bracts are always fertile. However, the
14
only one taxon, K. scaposa (Dalz.) Benth. radical inflorescence is either sessile or very shortly

In his account,Gagnepain (1908) enumerated 13 pedunculated, with 2-4 sterile sheathing bracts. The
16
taxa for Indochina. Although most of his species non-tubular primary bract is always accompanied by
are currently accepted, three have been placed under a shortly bilobed or bilobed-to-the-base bracteole, and
a different genus, Boesenbergia Kuntze. In 1924, Rid- subtends only one flower.
ley reported five species in his treatment of the Malay A combination of the overall floral morphology is
17
Penninsula. Holttum (1950) accepted four of Ridleyûs characteristic of the Asiatic Kaempferia species. The
accounts, but transferred K. cyanescens Ridl. to labellum is separated from the lateral staminodes al-