Commemorating William Roscoe (1753–1831), founder of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens, UK.

Herbs with fleshy roots and leafy stems. Leaves lanceolate to oblong, parallel veined. Flower clusters in terminal spikes with bracts overlapping. Flowers with the calyx split down one side, upper corolla lobe hooded and wider than the others, the lip entire or 2-lobed. Sterile stamens petal-like. Anthers versatile, spurred. Fruit elongated.

Grown for the showy flowers in spring.

Division of the fleshy rootstock.

Thick, fleshy roots; lateral stamens petal-like, anthers versatile and with conspicuous spurs.

17 species from Himalayas and western China.

Cowley (1982).

Source: Spencer, R. (2005). Zingiberaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.