Diversity and Ethnobotany of the Family Zingiberaceae in Lop Buri Province, Thailand, with Notes on a Putative Natural Hybrid

Zingiberaceae is an ecologically, economically, and culturally important plant family in tropical Asia, yet its diversity and ethnobotanical significance remain insufficiently documented in several parts of Thailand. This study investigated the diversity, traditional uses, preliminary regional conservation status, and selected taxonomic aspects of Zingiberaceae in Lop Buri Province, central Thailand. Field surveys, herbarium studies, morphological comparisons, informal ethnobotanical interviews, quantitative use analyses, and preliminary conservation assessments were conducted from 2024 to 2025. A total of 110 taxa, comprising 109 species and one putative natural hybrid, were recorded in 13 genera and three tribes. These included wild, cultivated, introduced, and locally utilized taxa documented from natural habitats, home gardens, agricultural areas, and other human-associated habitats. Among them, 43 taxa were recorded from natural habitats as wild or naturally occurring populations, whereas 95 taxa were newly documented for Lop Buri Province. Natural habitats, particularly limestone areas, mixed deciduous forests, and dry evergreen forests, supported important native and endemic taxa. Ethnobotanical data from 110 informants documented 5113 use reports for 106 taxa, covering food, spice, medicinal, ornamental, ritual and belief-based, cosmetic, and commercial uses. Curcuma and Alpinia turned out to be the most frequently utilized genera. A putative natural hybrid, Curcuma × lopburiensis, is also described. These findings highlight Lop Buri Province as a hot spot for Zingiberaceae diversity and an important area for traditional plant knowledge and conservation in central Thailand.