MR. G. KING ON THE WINGED CARDAMOM OF NEPAL. 3 



In all the species I have seen, petals and stamens appear as 

 nearly as possible at the same time, the former being much more 

 conspicuous from their larger size and more ovoid form. The 

 staminode is always formed simultaneously with the other sta- 

 mens, but is at once distinguishable by its small rounded outline. 

 It very soon disappears, as Payer observed in Acanthus mollis 

 (I. c. p. 586), the development of which he has traced very fully. 

 The further evolution of Thunbergia has no exceptional features 

 to justify a further description. 



On the Source of the Winged Cardamom of Nepal. By George 

 Kitfo, M.B., F.L.S., Superintendent Royal Botanic Gardens, 



Calcutta. 



[Read November 1, 1877.] 



Some years ago, the late Mr. Daniel Hanbury asked me to inquire 

 into the botanical origin of the large brown winged Cardamom, 

 commonly sold in the bazaars of Northern India, and occasionally 

 imported into England, and which had been regarded by Dr. 

 Pereira, in his great work on Materia Medica, as the produce of 

 Amomum maximum, Roxb. 



A few weeks prior to Mr. Hanbury's lamented death, I sent 

 him the result of my inquiries ; but it reached too late to be used 

 by him, and I now therefore put it on record myself. 



Dr. Pereira appears to have been led to adopt the view just 

 alluded to, chiefly because the Cardamom imported from Calcutta 

 and the fruit of Amomum maximum are both winged. He certainly 

 did not adopt it from any previous authority. 



A. maximum, although it was named by Roxburgh, is not indi- 

 genous to India, but to Java. Roxburgh himself mentions this 

 fact in his description of the plant ('Flora Indica,' ed. Carey, i. 42). 

 He concludes his description with the remark, H the seeds pos 

 a warm pungent taste, not unlike that of Cardamoms, but by no 

 means so grateful ;" but he does not mention the fruit as being 

 sold in Indian bazaars as a Cardamom. Concerning the Indian 

 species which he named Amomum aromaticum, Roxburgh states 

 (/. c. p. 45) that it is " a native of the valleys on the eastern 

 frontier of Bengal," and that " the capsules are carefully gathered 

 by the natives and sold to druggists, who dispose of them for 



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