Zingiber :: cernuum VS nimmonii

Dear friends,

I want to discuss about two species of Zingiber, namely: cernuum and nimmonii. They are treated as separate identities by some and synonymous by few. I see them as separate taxons, and I am using the Hooker's Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany as reference, to put forth my thoughts.

Some taxonomical portals consider these two taxa as separate:
• Plants of the World Online (POWO), retrieved 11 May 2024
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) [11 May 2024]

---

Description of Z. Nimmonii, Dalz. extracted from Hooker's Journal

Above Latin text translated to English ↓

1. Z. Nimmonii, Dalz.; the stem reddish-green, glabrous, with lanceolate leaves, acuminate at the base with a very short slender petiole, bright green above, pale and cobwebby below, the ovate ascending spike, the top scarcely exserted from the ground, with inner reddish-striated bracts, linear-oblong to lanceolate, acute, glabrous, bifid, the outer corolla with yellowish-red fringe, the 3-lobed yellow lip, with the intermediate lobe ovate-rounded, scarcely emarginate; the capsules, the size of a dove’s egg.

Growing in Konkan, and also in the yoke of Sahyadris; flowering July.

Dalzell continues ↓

Although it is a maxim among naturalists that differences of colour without difference of form cannot make a species, I find in making out the differential characters of this genus great help in recording colour as well as form, owing to the very great uniformity among the species, both as regards habit and structure, even of their minutest parts. The present species is by far the commonest of the three here described, and it is the only one of which I am at all in doubt as to its being an undescribed species, as it agrees well with the description of Z. panduratum of Roxb. Flor. Ind., which however was not found in the Indian peninsula. The species which I have now attempted to characterize is mentioned in Graham's catalogue of Bombay plants, under the name of Alpinia Nimmonii, but at that time the flowers were unknown, which is not much to be wondered at, as they appear (in common with those of the other species) at a time when the whole country is deluged with heavy and continued rains.

---

Description of Z. cernuum extracted from Hooker's Journal

Above Latin text translated to English ↓

2. Z. cernuum; the stem glabrous, bright green, with leaves narrowly elliptic, acuminate, glabrous on both sides, the spikes ovate, obtuse, very shortly pedunculate, the top scarcely exserted from the ground, with inner yellow-green bracts, ovate or oblong, shortly obtuse, glabrous, shortly trifid, the outer corolla with pale brown fringe, the 3-lobed lip, with the intermediate white and pink ovate lobe, deeply bifid, with lateral lobes painted yellow and pink.

Growing in Ram Ghat; flowering July.

Dalzell continues ↓

This is the smallest of the three species here described. The apex of the leafy stem is always somewhat curved; beside this mark, it may be readily distinguished by its bright green stems, never having a tint of any other colour. The habit and form are entirely those of the preceding, but the colouring of the lip is the handsomest of any species I have seen. Fruit yellowish-white, smooth; seeds (unripe) red, striated, with membranous aril.

---

Illustrations of the discussed species

---

I see the discussed species as separate, based on the illustrations shown above. The photos belong to respective owners, and have their own copyrights. Annotations on the illustrations are purely mine. The plants in the photos agree very well to the descriptions found in the Hooker's Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany.

Distribution of the discussed species

• Zingiber cernuum Dalzell

India (Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra)

• Zingiber nimmonii (Graham) Dalzell

India (Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu); Myanmar (Mandalay)

... Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2023): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 19.2; last update April 17th, 2024. - www.worldplants.de. Last accessed 11/05/2024.

~~~~~ Last updated: 10:17 15-06-2024 ~~~~~