Systematics and Biogeography of Japanese Alpinia - Hidenobu Funakoshi (Speaker) and Ken Inoue

Dr. Funakoshi gave a presentation on his studies of Japanese Alpinia. He has identified 3 new supspecies of Alpinia intermedia and verified this species is endemic to Japan. He also found there are different forms of Alpinia zerumbet and has named one form as var. excelsa primarily due to its larger size. He has determined that Taiwan is the origin of the "shell ginger", Alpinia zerumbet.