Hedychium coronarium var. chrysoleucum

This is an unusual variety of Heydychium quite popular in many places in NE India, like Manipur. This wild form was collected from northeast India, and distributed in the West by nursery owner Ganesh Mani Pradhan of Sikkim, under the name Hedychium coronarium 'Gold Spot'. As the name suggests, it has a large golden orange mark at the base of one petal. This actually a form of Butterfly Ginger Lily which is a fragrant flower. Takhellei, as it is called in Manipuri, is used in Manipur to prepare what is known as a nachom with chingonglei (flowers of Mimosa Bush. Two or three flowers of the chingonglei is inserted inside the lily and the combination of the two flowers is regarded as divine. This ornamental flower combination is usually worn behind the ear by womenfolk.