Cautleya

Cautleya is a small genus of perennial plants of the family Zingiberaceae (the ginger family), found in the eastern Himalayas through to China and Vietnam.[1] It consists of two species of high-altitude tropical and temperate exotic jungle gingers, native to cool forest areas – an unusual habitat for members of the Zingiberaceae. They are grown as ornamental flowering plants.

Cautleya species grow from short rhizomes which have thick, fleshy roots. They have “pseudostems” formed by the tightly wrapped basal sheaths of their leaves. Depending on the species, the pseudostems may be 25–80 cm (10–31 in) high. Individual leaves consist of a sheath and a blade. At the junction of the sheath and blade, there is a stalk (petiole), which may be very short or absent.[3] The plants die back in the winter with shoots appearing again in spring.[4]

The yellow or orange flowers appear in the summer and are grouped into a spike (inflorescence). Each flower is surrounded by a persistent coloured bract. The sepals are joined to form a tubular calyx, divided on one side. The bases of the petals are fused to form a tube as long as or longer than the calyx. At the end of this tube the three petals form separate lobes: the central lobe is upright and narrower than the two side lobes. Inside the petal tube there are three petal-like structures (formed from staminodes). The side staminodes are upright. The broad central lip or labellum is bent downwards. It has a narrowed section (claw) at its base which is joined to the side lobes of the petal tube.[3]

There is a single stamen with a short upright filament. Connective tissue at the base of the anther forms a fork-like appendage. After fertilization, the seed capsule splits to the base showing a mass of red, grey or black seeds.[3]