Abstract:
Two new species of Alocasia, A. chaii P.C.Boyce and A. infernalis PC.Boyce from Kapit Division. Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, are described and included into an updated key to Bornean Alocasia. Both species are illustrated. 

Abstract:
Nine taxa of the genus Macromitrium (Bryopsida, Orthotrichaceae) with gymnostomuous capsules in East Asia, including Macromitrium benguetense R.S. Willams., M. brevituberculatum Dix., M. formosae Card., M. gymnostomum Sull. & Lesq., M. heterodictyon Dix., M. holomitrioides Nog., M. robinsonii R.S. Williams, M. schmidii C. Muell., and M. taiheizanense Nog., are taxonomically revised. Macromitrium robinsonii and M. brevituberculatum are treated as new synonyms of M. gymnostomum, and M. benguetense as a new synonym of M. schmidii. Neotype was designated for M. schmidii, and types were selected for M. heterodictyon, M. Macromitrium schmidii var. macroperichaetialium S.L. Guo & T. Cao was described as a new variety. A key to the seven accepted gymnostomous species of Macromitrium in East Asia is also given. 

Abstract:
Hoya verticillata (Vahl) G.Don s.l. is a climbing epiphyte belonging to the family Apocynaceae. At present, the taxonomic status of this species in Thailand is still uncertain due to the great variability of size, shape and colour of leaf and flower. Morphological variations were explored in 500 fresh plants collected from 50 sites throughout the country. The collected specimens represent the H. verticillata complex, including two polymorphic species, namely H. verticillata s.l. and closely related species, H. rigida Kerr. Based on qualitative macro- and micro-morphological characters, the H. verticillata complex can be divided into nine groups. They can be distinguished by leaf shape, leaf base, venation pattern, leaf indumentum, and shapes of sepal, corona and corpusculum. Group I matched with the characteristics of H. rigida Kerr, which has ovate leaves with cordate base, 3-5 prominent nerves running from base to apex; indumentum absent on the abaxial surface; and lanceolate sepals. In contrast. Group II is an unidentified taxon that is close to H. verticillata (Vahl) G. Don var. citrina (Ridl.) Veldkamp. It is charaterized by broad ovate leaves with cordate base, 3-5 prominent nerves running from base to apex; and narrowly oblanceolate-oblong corpusculum. Groups III and IV have distinctly different vegetative characters and do not correspond to the previously described varieties of H. verticillata.  Their leaf venation is acrodromous, with 3 prominent nerves running from leaf base parallel to the midrib and reaching the apex, but they are different in their shape of leaf and coronal scale.  Group III has ovate leaves with subcordate base and elliptic coronal scale, while Group IV has elliptic-oblong leaves with cuneate base and ovate-lanceolate corona. Groups V-IX are still weak validity, having slightly discontinuity in leaf shape, base and venation; and shape of coronal scale.  They are treated in this paper as variable groups within H. verticillata var. verticillata.    

Abstract:
Fifteen Begonia species are described from limestone hills in the Kuching Division, Sarawak, Borneo, of which nine are new: B. andersonii Kiew & S.Julia, B. burttii Kiew & S.Julia, B. chaiana Kiew & S.Julia, B. corrugata Kiew & S.Juha, B. kiamfeeii Kiew & S.Julia, B. paoana Kiew & S.Julia, B. penrissenensis Kiew & S.Julia, B. punchak Kiew & S.Julia and B. serapatensis Kiew & S.Julia. The distribution of these begonias confirms that the Bau limestone flora is phytogeographically distinct and shows that the Padawan Serian and Penrissen limestone areas also form two distinct phytogeographic areas and that there are few species shared between the three areas. 

Abstract:
Five new genera of Grammitidaceae (Filicales) are described: Ctenopterella Parris (12 species), Dasygrammitis Parris (six species). Radiogrammitis Parris (28 species). Tomophyllum (F..Fourn.) Parris (22 species) and Xiphopterella Parris (six species).  Oreogrammitis Copel. (Grammitidaceae) is re-established (110 species). New combinations are made in all six genera. Synonymy is provided, types are indicated, including those of synonyms, and lectotypes are chosen for some names.  Three new species are described from Peninsular Malaysia, Oreogrammitis malayensis Parris, O. kunstleri Parris and Xiphopterella gracilis Parris. 

Abstract:
Two later homonyms in Polyalthia are provided with new names: Polyalthia sinclairiana I-M.Turner replaces P. macropoda Kinig and Polyalthia dolichopoda I.M.Turner replaces P. tenuipes Merr. (1922, non Merr. 19'I2). The combination Dasymaschalon dasymaschalum (Blume) I.M.Turner. which is not a tautonym under the current code, is made. It replaces the superfluous Dasymaschalon blumei Finet & Gagnep. A new combination for Dasymaschalon dasymaschalim var. wallichii is also made.  Lectotypes are proposed for Polyalthia macropoda King, Polyalthia tenuipes Merr. (1922), and Unona dasymaschala Blume var. wallichii Hook. f.& Thomson. 

Abstract:
Aridarum crassum S.Y. Wong & PC. Boyce is described as a new species from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The existing key to the genus Aridarum Ridl. is amended to include the new species. 

Book Review 

Book Review 

No abstract

Abstract:
As part of the research efforts to identify plant species which may have potential against tuberculosis, a study was earlier conducted in collaboration with the Institute for TB Research, University of Illinois, Chicago, to randomly screen the crude alcoholic extracts of different plant species using the MABA assay, to determine any inhibitory activity against the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Of the five species belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, four were found to inhibit the growth of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. These species included Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum., Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L.Burtt. & R.M. Sm., Etlingeria elatior (Jack) R.M. Sm. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Each species was collected in bulk and subjected to extraction and several bioassay-directed chromatographic fractionations. The pure constituents obtained were analyzed for their structure using spectroscopic techniques. The bioactivity of the pure isolates, as minimum inhibitory concentration values, was likewise determined. The results showed the antitubercular activity to be present in the nonpolar extracts. Structure elucidation of the pure isolates revealed the presence of sterols (-sitosterol, stigmasterol), sterol derivatives (-sitosteryl--D-galactoside,-sitosteryl-3-O-6’-palmityl--D-glucoside), phenyldecanoids (6-shogaol and 6-gingerol) and a flavonoid (kumatakenin). Determination of the MIC showed higher activity of the phenyldecanoids than the steroids, the steroidal derivatives and the flavonoid. 

Abstract:
Only few studies on useful gingers in Papua New Guinea have been published and we were only able to find information on two commonly used species. We conducted a 2-weeks preliminary study in the Huon Peninsula to document the species of gingers and their local names in the Kote language and their uses by the indigenous people. All species encountered were useful: four species of Etlingera, three species of Amomum and one species of Zingiber. It is recommended that further surveys should be conducted on gingers of Papua New Guinea to understand their taxonomy and ethnobotany in order to devise an appropriate ginger conservation program for the local communities.

Abstract:
Seeds of Hornstedtia reticulata (K. Schum) K. Schum. collected from the wild were double surface sterilised with 30% Clorox, followed by 15% Clorox, each for 20 minutes. The sterilised seeds were sown on Gamborg B5 medium. The meristems of 12 weeks old seedlings, including the basal parts of leaf sheath, were used to induce multiple shoots in Gamborg B5 media incorporated with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) alone (2mg/L and 3mg/L) and in combination with α-naphthalena acetic acid (NAA) at different concentrations (0.5mg/L and 0.1mg/L). Observation showed that all the treatments were able to produce multiple shoots while the highest number of shoots was obtained from explants that were treated with 3mg/L BAP after three subcultures. 

Abstract:
The studies on the variations in tissue development and secondary product elaboration of Hedychium coronarium J. König, locally known as camia, in culture on different growth media, using the floral tube part, are reported. 

Abstract:
The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AOA) of leaves and rhizomes of five wild and six cultivated ginger species belonging to seven genera were compared. Altitudinal variation in leaf TPC and AOA of four species of Etlingera Giseke was also studied. TPC was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. AOA was measured using the1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and expressed as ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (AEAC). Of the 11 wild and cultivated species screened, leaves of Etlingera had the highest TPC and AEAC, which were seven to eight times higher than those of rhizomes. Eight species had significantly higher leaf TPC and/or AEAC than rhizomes. Leaves of highland populations of Etlingera species had higher values than those of lowland counterparts. 

Abstract:
The genus Hedychium J. König (Zingiberaceae) with about 80 species has only four members in south India, viz., H. coronarium J. König, H. flavescens Carey ex Roscoe, H. spicatum var. acuminatum (Roscoe) Wall., and the endemic, H. venustum Wight. The chemical compositions of essential oils from the rhizomes of these four Hedychium species and their morphologies have been compared. The rhizome oils were characterized by analytical gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The number of identified constituents in the rhizome oils of H. coronarium, H. flavescens, H. spicatum var. acuminatum and H. venustum were 24 (99.7%), 27 (98.8%), 41 (98.9%), and 57 (99.1%) respectively. 1,8-Cineole, and -pinene and linalool constituted 70-75% of these rhizome oils. 1,8-Cineole was the single major constituent in the rhizome oils of H. coronarium (48.7%), H. venustum (45.4%), and H. spicatum var. acuminatum (44.3%). -Pinene (43.6%) was the major component in the rhizome oil of H. flavescens. The percentages of sesquiterpenes in these oils were H. venustum (24.0%), H. spicatum var. acuminatum (22.1%), H. coronarium (3.1%) and H. flavescens (1.3%). Oil yields from the rhizomes of H. venustum, H. spicatum var. acuminatum and H. coronarium were comparable (0.13-0.16%), but that from the rhizomes of H. flavescens was substantially low (0.05%). H. venustum and H. spicatum var. acuminatum are morphologically similar and significantly different from H. flavescens. The chemical data on essential oils are in good agreement with the relative morphological features of these four Hedychium species and thus chemotaxonomically significant.

Abstract:
Shoot tips of Boesenbergia pulchella (Ridl.) Merr. were cultured on Gamborg B5 medium containing 30% (w/v) sucrose and 2.8%  (w/v) Gelrite. Various concentration of plant growth regulators (PGR) were supplemented to B5 media, i.e., 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 1-4 mg/l alone or in combination with α-naphtalene acetic acid (NAA) at 0.1 mg/l or thidiazuron (TDZ) at 0.1-0.7 mg/l. Multiple shoot formation were found on both media supplemented with TDZ and BAP. A maximum of 11 shoots were produced after treatment with TDZ at 0.3 mg/l, which were the highest among other treatments. Acclimatization were conducted on (1:1 v:v) soil and vermiculite.

Abstract:
There are approximately 160 species of Zingiberaceae belonging to 18 genera in Peninsular Malaysia. Roughly 16-20% are traditionally utilized by the indigenous folks as spices, condiments, vegetables, food flavours and medicines. The resurgence of interest in herbs and the potential lucrative anticipated revenues from the herbal industry have spurred renewed interest in exploiting traditional knowledge and practices into scientific realities. Current research priorities offer promising development of natural resources into neutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. Hence the need to profile or fingerprint species for quality control and consistency of the species utilized. It is also important to establish protocols for micropropagation as a means of providing consistent supply of stable and elite materials for mass propagation and commercialization. Selected examples of indigenous uses, species profiles and successful micropropagation of cultivated gingers are discussed.

Abstract:
The entries for the family Zingiberaceae in the New Guinea database includes records of over 1700 collections. Based on this information an overview of the family is presented. The extensive records in the database highlight several problems. A considerable number of collections in the family have not been identified at generic level (190 collections) and many collections in each genus are not identified at the species level. This particularly applies to the larger New Guinea genera: Alpinia Roxb. and Riedelia Oliv., respectively with 256 and 236 collections. In this paper particular attention is paid to the neo-endemic genus Riedelia, which is represented by 85 described taxa in New Guinea. The genus has not been revised since 1916. 

Abstract:
Morphological characteristics and pollen morphology of Thai Amomum Roxb. were studied in order to aid identification and classification. Thirty-one species collected during our field expedition, only 13 species could be identified to species, and 18 species will be proposed as new to science. Investigation of both vegetative and reproductive organs reveals that leaf, flower and fruit are useful for identification/separating the species of Amomum. Pollen grains of 14 representatives were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to reveal their morphology and usefulness for infrageneric classification. Two types of exine sculpture, psilate and echinate, were found. Classification by using pollen morphology does not support grouping by the previous authors that emphasized fruit shapes.

Abstract:
Recent investigations based on molecular phylogenies have resulted in new insights into the evolutionary relationships and classification of the Zingiberaceae and various genera within the family, e.g., Globba, Hedychium, Roscoea, Etlingera, Alpinia, and Amomum.  At the same time taxonomic boundaries of many traditionally recognized genera have been challenged, e.g., Curcuma, Boesenbergia, Caulokaempferia, Alpinia, and Amomum. Within the subfamily Alpinioideae the results of our analyses will require the recircumscription of many of the genera included in the tribe Alpinieae. These phylogenetic results are based on a supermatrix analysis of ITS and matK sequence data and are discussed in the context of complementary morphological features and geographic distributions. Seventeen clades are recognized at the generic level although some remain tentative and in need of additional analysis before final taxonomic circumscriptions can be made. A revised classification will require that many species be placed in new or different genera, which will greatly facilitate identification and our understanding of morphological evolution in the family as well as species and genera therein.

Abstract:
Materials for a taxonomic revision of the Geostachys (Baker) Ridl. in Peninsular Malaysia, resulting from recent fieldwork are presented, with notes on the threat assessment of extant species. Twelve of the 13 previously known species were studied in situ, and two newly described species have also been found (Geostachys belumensis C.K. Lim & K.H. Lau and G. erectifrons K.H. Lau, C.K. Lim & K. Mat-Salleh), bringing the current total to 15 taxa, all highland species, found in hill, sub-montane and upper montane forests ranging from 600 m to 2000 m a.s.l. Thirteen out of 15 of the known species are believed to be hyper-endemic, found so far only in their respective type localities.

Abstract:
Aulotandra Gagnep. has recently been transferred from the subfamily Alpinioideae, tribe Alpinieae, to the subfamily Siphonochiloideae. Materials towards a revision of Aulotandra and Siphonochilus J.M.Wood & Franks are presented.

Abstract:
Nine species of Etlingera Giseke are known in Java, though two of them have not been collected recently. An identification key is given, along with descriptions, illustrations, and notes on local names, uses, and ecology. The conservation status of each species is assessed. Two species remain enigmatic and the remaining seven, including E. parva, which is synonomized with E. brachychila, are all found in Borneo, Sumatra and/or the Malay Peninsula.

Abstract:
Off-season flowering of Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. was studied in Chiang Mai province of Thailand where the weather in winter is cool with temperatures between 16 to 30 °C, RH from 65 to 70 %, and 10 hrs of daylight. Rhizomes were stored at 15 °C for the 6 months from February to July, 2004. After root emergence, plants were grown under different night break treatments. Night break treatments were conducted by supplying 2 hrs of light daily from 20.00 to 22.00 hrs. The light source was 100 watt incandescent light bulbs. There were three treatments: T1, night breaks supplied from sprouting of the first shoot until the floral spike reached one inch long; T2 as T1, but continued until the first floret opened; T3, was a control treatment with no night break. Each treatment was carried out at different planting dates, i.e., August 9, September 9, October 9 and November 9. Plant height, number of plants per cluster, flowering percentage and flower qualities (number of coma bracts, number of green bracts, spike length and length of flower stalk) were recorded. The results showed that plant growth and flower qualities were similar with and without the night break treatment at the 9 August planting date. However, the September to October planting dates required night break treatments to promote flowering and maintain flower qualities.

Abstract:
Callus was induced from young leaves of Cornukaempferia larsenii nom. sched. Saensouk on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and various concentrations of  2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in light and dark conditions. The highest number of callus formation, percentage of callus formation and average weight of callus were obtained from young leaves cultured on the medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D in the light condition. The callus could not be regenerated to plantlets in media added with various concentrations of NAA and BA.

Abstract:
Many members belonging to the family Zingiberaceae are well known for their uses in traditional medicine for curing various ailments since times immemorial. The rhizomes of some medicinal Zingiberaceae are widely used in the dietary intakes. Curcumin present in turmeric and gingerol in ginger have been known to possess anti-oxidant properties. The northeast India, which lies within the Indo-Burmese mega-biodiversity ‘hotspot’ region, is a genetic treasure house of biological resources with good representation of Zingiberaceous species. The present studies were conducted to assess the free radical scavenging antioxidant properties of rhizome extract of Zingiber montanum (J. König) A. Dietr [=Z. cassumunar Roxb.] using various chemical assay systems like diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide (O2-) and hydroxyl (OH.) radical scavenging methods. Increased percent of DPPH decoloration from 50-500 g/ml indicated concentration dependent scavenging activity of DPPH radicals by the crude extract of this species. Even at a low concentration of 1 g/ml, the rhizome extract showed strong (75%) OH- scavenging activity. Similarly, the crude extract showed a concentration dependent inhibition of O2 - radical production where a concentration of 50 g/ml almost showed 100% inhibition. Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assay using NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell line. Only 28% cytotoxicity was observed up to a concentration of 100 g/ml. The results strongly support the therapeutic use of crude rhizome extract of Z. montanum for its dietary intake and use as traditional medicine, thereby suggesting its potential as promising radioprotective agent.

Abstract:
The genus Curcuma L. is one of the largest genera in the Zingiberaceae, with about 80 species, and distributed throughout tropical Asia from India to South China, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. In Thailand, thirty-eight species have been found. Taxonomic knowledge of this genus is necessary for citing correctly the species used commercially as spices, ornamentals and medicines. Formerly, Curcuma was a member of the tribe Hedychieae.  According to the new classification of the Zingiberaceae proposed by Kress et al. (2000), this genus belongs to the tribe Zingibereae. This paper presents an overview of the genus Curcuma and its species diversity in Thailand. The infrageneric classification of the genus based on morphology and molecular evidences with reference to species diversity in Thailand is discussed. The representative taxa, their distribution and uses are provided.

Abstract:
Floral organ development of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. begins with the initiation of sepal primordia, and then the three common primordia comprising petal and inner whorl androecial members. Each common primordium separates into a dorsal petal and a ventral androecial member. The adaxial common primordium begins to separate first to produce the functional stamen and the adaxial petal. Subsequently the two abaxial common primordia separate to form two abaxial inner androecial members and two abaxial petals. After the three common primordia completed their differentiation, three outer androecial members are formed, of which the two adaxial primordia have a slow growth and finally become two lateral staminodes, while the abaxial primordium ceases growth and disappears gradually. The gynoecium is the last floral structure to initiate. Soon after the initiation of gynoecial primordium, the two abaxial inner androecial members form two secondary primordia. Compared to the development of the anther on the fertile stamen, the secondary primordia may be homologous with the primordia of the pollen sacs. This provides new evidence supporting the view that the labellum was derived from the two inner whorled androecial members.