Unravelling the identity and nomenclatural history of Zingiber montanum, and establishing Z. purpureum as the correct name for Cassumunar ginger

Abstract

Cassumunar is a well‐known and widely cultivated medicinal ginger. Historically, many names have been applied to this species. Over the past two decades, Zingiber montanum (≡ Amomum montanum) has been mostly accepted as the correct scientific name for Cassumunar ginger in spite of numerous discrepancies between the protologue and the plants to which the name was applied. We re‐investigated the identity, taxonomy and nomenclatural history of Z. montanum, Z. purpureum and Z. cassumunar and their synonyms. We show that the correct name for Cassumunar ginger is Z. purpureum and that Z. montanum is a different species. A specimen at C previously regarded as the holotype of A. montanum is not original material, and represents Z. purpureum, which partly explains the confusion between these two names. Zingiber montanum is characterized by scarlet inflorescence bracts and flowers with labellum and lateral staminodes being dark purplish‐red, and mottled cream‐white. Unlike Z. purpureum, Z. montanum is not known in cultivation and has no known medicinal properties. Zingiber newmanii, Z. nudicarpum and Z. peninsulare are placed in synonymy with Z. montanum, expanding the distribution significantly in Southeast Asia and into China. Zingiber purpureum is readily distinguished from Z. montanum by dark red to maroon, purplish or almost brown bracts often with greenish margins, and flowers with cream‐white labellum and lateral staminodes. Zingiber cassumunar, Z. cassumunar var. subglabrum, Z. cliffordiae, Z. paucipunctatum and Z. pubisquamum are treated as synonyms of Z. purpureum. Neotypes are designated for A. montanum and Z. purpureum, and lectotypes are designated for Z. cassumunar, Z. cassumunar var. subglabrum, Z. cliffordiae, Z. peninsulare and Z. pubisquamum.

Fixing stray traditions in gingers: The identity and nomenclatural history of Zingiber neesanum and other entwined names

“…The identity of Z. purpureum (often misidentified in the last 20 years as Z. montanum (J.Koenig) Link ex A.Dietr.) has been elaborated in detail by Bai & al. (2020).…”

“…This study largely follows the methods outlined in previous studies dealing with the identity of early-described Zingiberaceae, all of which relied on a combination of exhaustive herbarium and reference research combined with collection of new flowering material from the type localities and nearby areas (e.g., Leong-Škornic ˇková & al., 2008a,b;Bai & al., 2020).…”

“…Zingiber Mill. (Miller, 1754) (Zingiberales: Zingiberaceae) is a genus of rhizomatous herbs widely distributed in tropical to subtemperate Asia with highest diversity in the monsoonal parts of Asia (Kishor & Leong-Škornic ˇková, 2013;Bai & al., 2020). Several species are grown worldwide for their culinary, medicinal, and ornamental values with Ginger of commerce or Common ginger (Z. officinale Roscoe) being the best-known and economically most important example.…”

“…Several species are grown worldwide for their culinary, medicinal, and ornamental values with Ginger of commerce or Common ginger (Z. officinale Roscoe) being the best-known and economically most important example. Slightly over 300 names have been published in Zingiber so far (Govaerts & al., 2020), corresponding to 150-220 species (Kishor & Leong-Škornic ˇková, 2013;Bai & al., 2020), making it one of the largest genera in Zingiberaceae. A detailed introduction to the genus and the sectional classification currently followed are given in Bai & al.…”

“…Despite the continuing description of new species, the identities of many Zingiberaceae species described in early history, including widely cultivated species, remain obscure (e.g., Leong-Škornic ˇková & al., 2008a,b;Droop & al., 2013;Bai & al., 2020). The main reasons include scanty original descriptions and missing or poorly preserved herbarium material.…”