Boesenbergia kingii - Indo-China Fingerroot

Indo-China Fingerroot is a stemless herb with perennial root stock, with rhizome 0.5-1.0 cm wide. It is named for named for Clarence King, 19th century geologist on the California Geological Survey. Flowers are 13-16 cm long, hairless, one flower open at a time. Sepal-cup 1.8-2.2 x 0.5-0.6 cm, tubular, translucent white or pale green, split up to 8-9 mm from tip. Flower tube 12.5-12.7 cm long, light red towards upper portion and white below. Petals are 3, oblong, creamy-white, margin involute; dorsal petal 3.0-3.3 x 1.2-1.4 cm, tip pouched; lateral petals 3.0-3.2 x 1.0-1.1 cm, tip slightly pouched. Staminodial tube 2 cm long, white. Lip 3.7-4.2 x 3.0-3.1 cm, widely ovate, sac-like, cream-white with throat red (with small white spots), margin wavy. Lateral staminodes are 2, 1.9-2.0 x 1.4-1.7 cm, broadly obovate, creamy-white, margin wavy. Stamens are 1.2-1.6 cm long, white. Flowers are borne in clusters arising from the root or at branch-ends, 15-18 cm long, carried on flower-cluster-stalk 1.5-1.7 x 0.5 cm, white or slightly maroon-tinged. Bracts are 9-10 per spike, oblong or boat-shaped, each subtending a single flower, 7.0-7.7 x 1.6-1.8 cm, white with green tinge or green with maroon tinge, hairless, thick and fleshy, translucent, tip pointed. Bracteoles are 4.7-5.0 x 0.6 cm, lanceshaped, pale green, translucent, tip blunt. White tuberous roots extend from the rhizome. Leafy shoot are 50-65 cm tall, with 2-5 leaves. Leaves are 40-55 cm long, leaf-stalk 11-25 cm long, blade 30-40 x 12-16 cm, elliptic, hairless, dark green above, light green below, tip tapering, base obliquely eared. Indo-China Fingerroot is found in moist shady places in evergreen forests, in NE India, Peninsular India, East Himalaya, China South-Central, Myanmar, Thailand. Flowering: May-August.