Tab. 5620. 

 CURCUMA Austkalasica. 

 Australian Wild Turmeric. « 



Xat. Ol'd. ZlNGIBERACSiE. — MoNASDRIA MONOOTXIV. 



Gen. Char. Calyx tubulosus, 3-dentatus. Corolla; tubus sursum dilafa- 

 tua, limbi laciqise exteriorea iuterioribus lateralibui eont'orines ; labelhnn 

 majtts, patens. Fdamenfum petaloideo-dilatatum, earinatum, apice '2- 

 Iobum, lobo intermedio anthera 2-calcarata terminate Ovarium info- 

 rum, 3-loculare ; stylus filiformia, stigmata capitato; ovula in loculornm 

 angulo centrali plurima, horizoutalia, anatropa. Oapsula 3-locularis, locu- 

 bcide 3-valvis. Semiua plurima, arillata. — Herbs WJ India oriental] tro- 

 pica indigent, acaales, raJicibus palmato-tubcrosis. Folia petiolata, hrr- 

 bacea, pedohs ragiuantihus. Scapus simpler, lateralis v. centralis. Npiea 

 erecta, carnosa, inferne bracteis saccatis subimbricata. Flores jlavesceates, 

 intra quamvis bracteara 3-5-7?/, approximati, bractcolati. 



Curco.ia Australasica ; foliia petiolatis oblongo v. ovato-lanceolatis acu- 

 minata glaberrimis, scapo terminal], spica multiflora, bracteis inferi- 

 onbus obtusis recurvia flore brevioribua viridibua, anpremia oblongs 

 oblongo-lanceolatiaye acutis acuminatiave roseis, ealycia tubo corollas 

 dimidio breviore, lobis brevibus rotundatis, corolla laciniia oblongis 

 obtusis, labello orbiculato recurvo retuso v. emarginato marginibus 

 undulatis, anthera oblonga calcaribus couniventibus, filamento lato 

 cueullato. 



Qf the extensive and beautiful Indian genus Curcuma, no 

 species had been known to inhabit Australia previous to the 

 visit of Mr. John Vcitch to that continent, who was the dis- 

 coverer and means of introducing the present species from 

 its north-eastern corner (Cape York) into England. The 

 plant here figured flowered in Messrs. Yeitch's establishment 

 in August of the last year, and the same specimen, presented 

 by them to the Royal Gardens, continued in flower through- 

 out the following month and beginning of October, forming 

 a very striking ornament in one of the tropical stoves, where 

 it lifted its beautiful crown of transparent, rose-coloured 

 bracts above the surrounding green foliage. As a species, 

 it approaches extremely near to two Indian ones, described 

 by Dr. Roxburgh, viz. the common C. longa (Turmeric), and 

 C. montana, differing from both in the cucullate bracts, with 



JANUARY 1ST, 1867. 



