Biodiversity booms: new species discovered
May 24, 2022 - The team at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam , was overjoyed when they recently received the news that a new plant was were overjoyed when they recently received the news that a new plant has been officially recognized and named after the resort: Six Senses Turmeric.
“This discovery helps to create more awareness about the rich biodiversity of the peninsula and plays a vital role in its safeguarding and conservation, “said Emmy, Six Senses Regional Director of Sustainability.
As the first person to spot the plant, General Manager Andrew Whiffen recalled, “In August 2020, while hiking with guests, I came across a small white flower right in the middle of the trail. It looked unusual, and I had never come across it before. Over the next few months, we found more of these flowers in the same area, so I took photos and shared them with the Green Việt team. By fall 2021, the flower had returned in even greater numbers.”
The newly discovered Curcuma subgenus is similar to C. newmanii Škorničk, a compact rhizome of the turmeric family. Six Senses Turmeric is 30 to 40 centimeters tall, with short, thin branches pointing downwards. The outside is light brown, and the inside is cream white to pale yellow (on the cross-section). There are one to three leafy shoots per plant, with two to five leaves developing at the same time or shortly after flowering. Six Senses Tumeric (Curcuma sixsensesensis) is a beautiful flower of the Ginger family (Zingibereae). It grows in unprotected forest areas. Because its habitat faces threats from human activities, scientists are proposing to include Curcuma sixsensesensis (Six Senses Turmeric) in the List of Endangered Plant Species at the Global Level (IUCN Red List).
Used for thousands of years as a spice and a medicinal aid, curcumin (the main active ingredient in turmeric) is found to have many health benefits. In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, it has been shown to lower cholesterol and may improve blood pressure. It can also ease joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation. It has also shown some promise in treating depression and slowing Alzheimer’s. However, because curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream, it helps to consume it with black pepper.
The specific epithet “sixsensesensis “ is derived from where the new species was found. From now on, guests at Six senses Ninh Van Bay can see the newly discovered plant in addition to the resort’s other pride and joy: its families of black-shanked douc langurs.
Find out more about how Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is committed to sustainability.