Curcuma sixsensesensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Zingiberaceae. It has leafy shoots, white flowers, and cream-white fruits. The species is native to Vietnam.
Curcuma sixsensesensis was described in 2022, and is named after an ecology resort.
Taxonomy The species was described in 2022 by Danh-Duc Nguyen and Tuan Anh Le. The species is placed in the subgenus Ecomata.
Distribution Curcuma sixsensesensis is native to the wet tropical biome of Vietnam. The type locality is in Vietnam's Khánh Hòa province.
It grows under the canopy in semi-deciduous coastal forests, at elevations of .
Description Curcuma sixsensesensis has underground storage organs. The rhizome is ovoid, long, wide, and light brown on the outside.
The plant is tall. Each plant has one to three leafy shoots, and each shoot has two to five leaves. The pseudostem is long. The leaf stem is long. The leaves are elliptic to lanceolate, long, and wide.
The stem of the inflorescence is long, white, and hidden underground. The inflorescence is a long spike. The flowers are long. The calyx is long, white, semitranslucent, and has three teeth. The floral tube is long, white, and funnel-shaped at the apex. The pollen is white. The plant flowers at the start of the rainy season, from August to October.
The fruits are spherical to ellipsoid, long, wide, and cream-white in colour. The seeds are obovate, long, light brown, and shiny.
Curcuma sixsensesensis is similar to Curcuma newmanii, Curcuma singularis, and Curcuma tongii.
Uses Reproductive parts of Curcuma sixsensesensis are sold as vegetables in local markets.
Etymology The specific epithet sixsensesensis refers to Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, an ecology resort where the species occurs.
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