A family of over 56 genera and about 1300 species, pantropic, particularly well developed in Asia and Malesia; seven genera occur naturally in Australia.

Alpinia - A genus of over 250 species in Asia, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific islands; six species occur naturally in Australia. Smith (1987).

Amomum - A genus of about 64 species in Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Smith (1987); De Boer et al (2018).

Curcuma - A genus of ca. 80 species from India, China, Taiwan, SE Asia, Papua New Guinea and Australia; 1 species occurs naturally in Australia with another naturalised in the CYP.

Etlingera - A genus of about 60 species in Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Smith (1987).

Hedychium - A genus of about 45 species in Asia and Malesia; two species have become naturalised in Australia. Smith (1987).

Hornstedtia - A genus of about 24 species in Malesia, Australia and the Pacific islands; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Smith (1987).

Meistera - A genus of 42 species in Sri Lanka, India, South East Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. De Boer et al (2018).

Pleuranthodium - A genus of about 22 species in New Guinea, the Bismark Archipelago and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Smith (1990, 1991).

Zingiber - A genus of about 100 species in tropical Asia; two species have become naturalised in Australia. Smith (1987).

de Boer, H. et al (2018) Convergent morphology in Alpinieae (Zingiberaceae): Recircumscribing Amomum as a monophyletic genus. Taxon 67(1): 6-36.

Ravindran, P.N., Nirmal Babu, K. & Sivaraman, K. (2007). Turmeric: The Genus Curcuma.

Sirirugsa, P., Larsen, K. & Maknoi, C. (2007). The genus Curcuma L. (Zingiberaceae): distribution and classification with reference to species diversity in Thailand.

Smith, R.M. (1987). Flora of Australia. 45: 22-23.

Smith, R.M. (1987). Zingiberaceae. In 'Flora of Australia'. Vol. 45, (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.), pp. 19-34.

Smith, R.M. (1990). Psychanthus (K. Schum.) Ridley (Zingiberaceae): its acceptance at generic level. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 47:77-82.

Smith, R.M. (1991). Pleuranthodium replaces the illegitimate Psychanthus (Zingiberaceae). Edingburgh Journal of Botany 48:63-68.

Webb, L.J. (1948). Guide to the medicinal and poisonous plants of Queensland. CSIR Bulletin No. 232. : 171.