Zingiberaceae

Small shell ginger

Alpinia mutica Roxb.

Family: Zingiberaceae
Genus: Alpinia

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Small shell ginger: Alpinia mutica in Boltz Conservatory, Madison, Wi — Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (3)

Chinese: 馬來良薑, 马来良姜, 钝山姜
English: Small shell ginger
Vietnamese: Riềng lá hẹp

Synonyms

Alpinia korthalsii K.Schum.
Alpinia laxiflora Gagnep.
Catimbium muticum (Roxb.) Holttum
Languas korthalsii (K.Schum.) Merr.
Languas laxiflora (Gagnep.) Merr.
Languas mutica (Roxb.) Merr.
Renealmia mutica (Roxb.) Salisb.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: introduced

Photos

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Ong Jyh Seng, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Ben Costamagna, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Cheongweei Gan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Ben Costamagna, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Alpinia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.