Alpinia nutans
| Alpinia nutans | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genus: | Alpinia |
| Species: | A. nutans
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| Binomial name | |
| Alpinia nutans | |
| Synonyms | |
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Alpinia nutans, the shellflower, or dwarf cardamom, is a
food preservative.[4]
Characteristics
Its flowers have a porcelain look, are shell-like and bloom prolifically on a 30-cm stalk. The flower's single fertile
pistil extends beyond the tip of the anther. The foliage of Alpinia nutans is evergreen in areas that do not have a hard freeze. It has a very distinctive cardamom
fragrance when brushed or rubbed, but this is not the plant that produces the spice by that name.
Chemistry
The rhizome oil of Alpinia speciosa contains some
pentadecanoic acid (C-15, 21.9%) and others are tricosylic acid (C-23, 5.7%), tridecylic acid (C-13, 1.9%), undecylic acid (C-11, 3.1%) and pelargonic acid (C-9, 0.1%). Among the fatty acids containing even number of carbon atoms, the main constituents are linolenic acid (C-18:3, 27.4%) and arachidic acid (C-20, 22.4%). The total saturated fatty acids constitute 65.7% and unsaturated 34.3%.[5] Spectroscopic analysis revealed two new compounds of glucoside esters of ferulic acid.[6] It also contains dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain.[4]
Medicinal uses
 | This section needs more primary sources. (February 2016) |  |
Alpinia nutans is used in traditional medicine as diuretic,
beta-carotene.[4]
See also
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alpinia nutans.
- Tropical Plant Database: Alpinia speciosa
- (in Portuguese) Alpinia nutans