Zingiberaceae

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{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Ginger family | image = Alpinia purpurata1web.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata) | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta | classis = Liliopsida | ordo = Zingiberales | familia = Zingiberaceae | familia_authority = Lindley | type_genus = Zingiber | type_genus_authority = Boehm | subdivision_ranks = Subdivisions | subdivision = see text }}

Image:Zingiber Beehive.jpg

Zingiberaceae, or the Ginger family, is a taxon of perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes, comprising 47 genera and about 1000 species. Many species are important ornamental plants, spices, or medicinal plants. Important members of the family include ginger, turmeric, myoga, cardamom, and galangal.

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Characteristics

The plant is either self-supporting or epiphytic. They have alternate and distichous leaves; there is neither basal nor terminal aggregations of leaves. Flowers are hermaphroditic, strongly zygomatic and form in bracts such as racemes and spikes. Flowers typically have labellums, an organ formed by the fusion of two sterile stamens. The perianth is comprised of 2 whorls. The calyx is herbaceous or membranous, 3-lobed or spathaceous tubular.

The plant's tissue characteristically yields essential oil.

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Distribution

The family is present throughout the Tropics but particularly abundant in Southeast Asia.

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Taxonomy

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Intergeneric hybrid

Template:Commonscatde:Ingwergewächse eo:Zingibracoj fr:Zingiberaceae nl:Gemberfamilie ja:ショウガ科 pl:Imbirowate pt:Zingiberaceae sv:Ingefärsväxter vi:Họ Gừng zh:薑科

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