Etlingera solaris
(Blume) R. M. Smith
Honje warak, Honje laka
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Summary
Source: WikipediaEtlingera solaris is a monocotyledonous plant species first described by Carl Ludwig von Blume, and given its current name by Rosemary Margaret Smith. Etlingera solaris is part of the genus Etlingera and the family Zingiberaceae. No subspecies are listed in the Catalog of Life.
Description
A robust ginger family herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It is up to 5 m tall. It has stout rhizomes. The leaves are arranged in two upright rows. They have fine veins. The sheath has stripes along it. It has faint ribs across it. The leaf stalks are 1 cm long. The blade is 50-80 cm long by 13-20 cm wide. The base is unequal. The flowering head is round and 5-12 cm across. It develops from the side near the base. The flower stalk is partly underground. It extends up to 36 cm long. It has large scales. It has large red bracts. These are 9 cm long by 3 cm wide. It has silky hairs. The flower bracts are narrow and 5-6 cm long. The fruit is oval and 4-5 cm long. It has bracts which remain on it. These are angular, juicy and red. The seeds are 3-4 mm long.
Edible Uses
The fruits are edible and used as a sour condiment. Juicy. The red, obovoid fruit is about 4 - 5cm long.
Traditional Uses
The fruit are edible and used as a sour flavouring.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in mountain forest at 800-1650 m altitude. It grows in Sumatra and Java.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia*, SE Asia,
Cultivation
We have no specific information for this species, but plants in this genus generally prefer a sunny position and a moist but well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil. A very variable plant.
Propagation
Seed - Division of the rhizomes.
Notes
There are about 70 Etlingera species.
Synonyms
References (4)
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 1731 (As Phaeomeria solaris)
- Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43:249. 1986
- PROSEA handbook Volume 13 Spices. p 254
- Seidemann J., 2005, World Spice Plants. Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p 149
