Amomum. | CXXXIV. SCITAMINEE (BAKER). 309 
Also Mauritius and Madagascar. Sonnerat’s type specimen from Madagascar, in 
the British Museum, has leaves not more than 14 in, broad. 
18. A. polyanthum, Schumann in Engl. Jahrb. xv. 411. Leafy 
stem, tall. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 1 ft. or more long, 
4—5 in. broad at the middle, densely softly pilose beneath, rounded to 
the base, distinctly petioled on the sheath; ligule small, truncate. 
Flowers several in a globose head on a peduncle 4—1 ft. long, with 
large oblong obtuse scariose imbricate bract-leaves. Dorsal petal 
small, oblong. Lip oblong, purplish-yellow, 1 in. long; anther-crest 
with a triangular central-lobe and falcate lanceolate side-lobes. Fruit 
ampulliform, glabrous, not grooved. 
Nile Land. British East Africa: Niamniam; at the rapids of the Linduku 
River, Schweinfurth, 3092! Diamvonu stream, Schweinfurth, 3262! 3312! 
19. A. cereum, Hook. f. in Kew Journ. Bot. vi. 296. Leafy 
stem short, slender. Leaves lanceolate, firm, glabrous, reaching 1 ft. 
long, 14-2 in. broad at the middle, nearly sessile on the sheath, 
narrowed to the base; ligule small, truncate. Flowering-stem very 
slender, about 4 ft. long, bearing a spike of 1-2 flowers; bracts brown, 
scariose, obtuse. Corolla-lobes 14 in. long; upper oblong, obtuse ; 
lateral lanceolate. Lip pure white, obovate-cuneate, 14-2 in. broad; 
anther-crest with a small entire central lobe and two uncinate linear 
side-lobes. Fruit narrowly ampulliform, glabrous, not grooved, 2 in. 
long, crowned by the short calyx-tube. Seeds } in. diam., grey, glossy, 
~ 
much angled by pressure.— Baker in Hook. Ic. t. 2477. 
Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Daniell ! Liberia: Cape Palmas, Crummell ! 
20. A. zambesiacum, Baker. Rootstock stout. Leafy stem 6 ft. 
long. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, moderately firm, 15-16 in. long, 4 in. 
broad at the middle, glabrous on both surfaces, distinctly petioled on 
the sheath. Flowers many in a dense head on a flexuose peduncle 1 ft. 
long, with many large oblong-navicular coriaceous brown bract-leaves ; 
bracts of the capitulum ovate, acute, 14-2 in. long. Flowers seen only 
in an undeveloped state. 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mount Zomba, at the 
foot of the peak, 4500 ft., Kirk ! 
21. A. Elliotii, Baker. Leaves oblong, membranous, 1 ft. long. 
3-4 in. broad at the middle, glabrous above, softly hairy beneath, 
rounded to the base, distinctly petioled above the sheath ; sheaths 
densely hairy; ligule moderately large, truncate. Flowers many in a 
globose head on a peduncle 9-10 in. long, hidden by large oblong 
imbricate obtuse brown scariose bract-leaves ; outer bracts ovate, acute, 
2-3 in. long. Young fruit ampulliform, glabrous, 2-3 in. long, under 
l in. diam., not grooved vertically. Corolla and lip not seen. 
Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone; Herimankuna, in shady woods, Scott-Elliot, 
5249 ! 
