Indonesian threatened Zingiberaceae: Exploring their potential traditional and modern uses

Abstract

As human populations continue to grow and natural habitats shrink, there is an urgent need to understand and protect plant species that have the potential to benefit both humans and the environment. Zingiberaceae is one such plant family with many species known has traditional and scientific uses. The family is primarily found in tropical regions, with the highest species diversity in Southeast Asia and South America. Indonesia is home to approximately 500 species of Zingiberaceae out of a global total of 1,500 species. However, more than 100 species of Zingiberaceae in Indonesia are threatened with extinction, mainly due to habitat loss by logging and land conversion, putting their potential uses at risk. This review explores the traditional and modern uses of threatened Zingiberaceae species in Indonesia based on their genus. We surveyed the literature and compiled data on the traditional uses of the Indonesian Zingiberaceae species as medicine and any scientific studies investigating their prospective as a drug. There is widespread utilization from a third of Zingiberaceae genera with threatened species, highlighting the substantial untapped potential that requires further investigation on the species facing a considerable risk of extinction. Unfortunately, efforts to conserve the threatened Zingiberaceae species are currently limited, with only less than ten per cent of species being conserved in Indonesian botanic gardens.