Meistera Giseke, nom. rej.; Paludana Giseke, nom. rej.; Paramomum S. Q. Tong; Wurfbainia Giseke, nom. rej.

Rhizomes widely creeping. Pseudostems elongate. Leaf sheath long; ligule entire or 2-lobed; leaf blade usually oblong-lanceolate, oblong, or linear. Inflorescence arising from rhizomes, a densely flowered spike or spikelike raceme or panicle; peduncle short or rather long, clothed with imbricate, scalelike sheaths; involucre absent; bracts imbricate, persistent, sometimes soon disintegrating; bracteoles usually tubular. Calyx usually tubular, apex 3-toothed. Corolla tube cylindric; lobes oblong or linear-oblong, central one erect, usually wider and more convex than lateral ones. Lateral staminodes subulate, small, or absent. Labellum conspicuous, usually yellow or orange at center, with some red veins or marks, often white at margin, usually obovate, broadly concave. Filament well developed; anther locules parallel or diverging; connective appendage extending beyond apex of anther, entire or 3-lobed. Ovary 3-loculed; ovules many per locule, superposed. Style filiform; stigma usually funnelform, small, ciliate. Capsule irregularly dehiscent or indehiscent, smooth, prickly, or winged. Seeds oblong or many angled; aril fleshy or membranous, apex laciniate.

Amomum krervanh Gagnepain (in FRPS, as “A. kravanh”) is locally cultivated in China and is also imported for medicinal use; however, it is not known to be naturalized. It may be conspecific with A. testaceum Ridley, in which case the latter name would have priority.

About 150 species: tropical Asia and Australia; 39 species (29 endemic, one introduced) in China.