Common name: Native Ginger
Alpinia caerulea (R.Br.) Benth. APNI* 
Description: Perennial herb to 3 m high.
Leaves with lamina oblong-lanceolate, up to 40 cm long and 3–10 cm wide, glabrous, apex acuminate; shortly petiolate or sessile; ligule usually 10–15 mm long, entire, or slightly emarginate.
Inflorescence 10–30 cm long, glabrous; pedicels 10–20 mm long. Outer tepals c. 10 mm long; inner tepal tube c. 12–14 mm long, lobes 5–8 mm long, yellow; labellum circular, shortly clawed, shortly 2-lobed, c. 10 mm diam. Lateral staminodes c. 1 mm long, filament 2–3 mm long. Ovary to 6 mm long, usually pubescent, 3-locular.
Capsule globose, c. 10 mm diam. with a brittle blue outer covering.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in coastal rainforest; north from Gosford district.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by Peter G. Wilson & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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