Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Sm.

bastón de emperador, gengibre antorcha, heliconia, torch ginger, wax flower

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Liliopsida (= Monocotyledoneae)

Order
Zingiberales

Family
Zingiberaceae

Genus
Etlingera

Species
elatior

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Alpinia elatior Jack

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 2003

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduction Pathway: Intentional

Subpathway: Agriculture/Horticulture

Introduced status: Human dependent

Invasive status: Unlikely to become invasive

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

References

  • Chen, J. Craven, L.A. (2007) Flora of China. Flora of China 13: 321–328. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=10599
  • Guézou, A. Trueman, M., Buddenhagen, E., Chamorro, S., Guerrero, A.M., Pozo, P., Atkinson, R. (2010) An extensive Alien Plan Inventory from the Inhabited Areas of Galapagos Plos One/ www.plosone.org. Volume 5/ Issue 4/e10276
  • Jørgensen, P.M. León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999) Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, 1181 pp.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org
  • Vásquez. M.R. Rojas, G. & Rodríguez, E.F. (2003) Adiciones a la Flora Peruana: especies nuevas, nuevos registros y estados taxonómicos de las Angiospermas para el Perú. Arnaldoa 9(2): 43–110.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Etlingera elatior", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=1750. Accessed 4 November 2026.