ginger lily

any of various plants belonging to the genus Hedychium, of the ginger family, native to Asia, esp. the white ginger, H. coronarium, having white, fragrant flowers.

[1895-1900]

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▪ plant

also called  garland flower,  

 any ornamental plant of the genus Hedychium, of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). About 50 species occur in tropical and subtropical regions (e.g., India, southwestern China). The rhizomes (underground stems) are gingerlike (i.e., fleshy with a yellow or bluish interior). Several species from the Malay Peninsula and Oceania are epiphytic—i.e., supported by other plants and having aerial roots exposed to the humid atmosphere. The approximately 70-centimetre- (2-foot-) long leaves are green above and bluish on the underside; in one species (Hedychium greenei) the leaves are dark green above and red underneath. The sweetly scented flowers are borne in spirally arranged clusters.

      Flowers of many Hedychium species are used for garlands and other decorations. The white-flowered H. coronarium, known as white ginger, and the yellow-flowered H. flavum, or yellow ginger, are among the most commonly used species in the leis of Hawaii.

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