Somnaech Rotreay

Kaempferia filifolia K.Larsen. 1962

Kaempferia filifolia is the most unique species of the Family Zingiberaceae and Genus Kaempferia. There is no official name in Khmer and it, therefore, is provisionally called ‘Somnaech Rotreay,’ (literally meaning ‘laugh at dusk’). Why is it called so? Let us find it out!

Source and origin: Kaempferia filifolia was described in Thailand in 1962 and later on distributed in Preah Vihear province of Cambodia and in Laos.

Habitat and growth condition: This plant species grows in a n environment mixed with grasses in the plain sandstone washouts in dry deciduous dipterocarp forests and sometimes is common in rough, sandy soils in rice fields and in mixture of lower vegetation

Stalk: Unlike other species of Kaempferia with usually round leaves over the soils, ‘Somnaech Reatrey’’ is of dark blue, grass-like foliage and is easily confused with the grass when it has no flowers.

Flower: The whole flower is white and formed as racemose from the base of stalk. There is usually one or two flowers which bloom simultaneously. When scrutinizing them, they are crystal clear, allowing us to see from one side to another.

Special characteristics: As its flowers usually start blooming at dusk, it is therefore called ‘Somnaech Reatry’ in local language and fade away at sunrise. With this condition, it is impossible to witness its flowers during the sunny time and it is, therefore, hard to locate the species in the grass areas. So far, no studies have been conducted or documents written to prove that this species is used for medication due to partly its rareness and hardness to be identified.

* Source and photos: Mr. Song Det and Dr. CHHIN Sophea

** Production and publication: Department of Biodiversity, General Secretariat of the National Council for Sustainable Development/MoE