Technical Abstract: An improved and efficient regeneration protocol was established for Hedychium via somatic embryogenesis. The plant material used consisted of 11 species and 9 cultivars of Hedychium. The explants consisted of young leaves taken from lateral or terminal shoots of mature greenhouse grown plants. These explants were disinfested by washing under running tap water for five minutes, followed by soaking in 100 ml of 10% bleach solution to which a drop of Tween 20® was added and agitated for 10 minutes. After the disinfestation step, the explants were transferred to a callus initiation medium consisting of Murashige and Skoog (MS) macronutrients and micronutrients and B5 vitamins supplemented with 9.05 µM 2,4-D, 0.6 µM TDZ, 8.9 µM BA, 20 g l-1 sucrose, 0.2 g l-1 myo-inositol, 1 g l-1 casein hydrolysate, 1 mg l-1 thiamine, 0.75 g l-1 MgCl2, and 2 g l-1 Gelrite. The induced callus was transferred to a medium similar to the medium described above but without 2,4-D. Somatic embryos were initiated in 2-3 months, and plantlets derived from these somatic embryos were transferred to an MS basal medium supplemented with 20 g l-1 sucrose, 0.75 g l-1 MgCl2, and 2 g l-1 Gelrite with no growth regulators. The plantlets formed were easily acclimatized. Production of mature plants from callus can be accomplished in 3-4 months.