Tas. 7992. 
CADALVENA spEcTaBILIs. 
Tropical Africa. 
ScrtaMInE&%. Tribe ZINGIBERER. 
Capatvena, Fenzl in Sitz. Akad. Wissen. Wien, Math. Nat. vol. li. 2, p. 189. 
Cadalvena spectabilis, Fenzl, l.c.; Baker in Thiselton-Dyer, Fl. Trop. Afr. 
vol. vii. p. 297 ; a C. pistizxfolia, Baker, foliis imbricatis basi non incrassatis 
differt. 
Herba acaulis, stolonibus vaginatis instructa. Folia 4-7, rosulata, obovato- 
cuneata vel fere orbicularia, 2-9 poll. longa et lata, supra obscure 
viridia et glabra, subtus pallidiora et appresse pubescentia, marginibus 
integerrimis rubris minute ciliatis. Flores foliis coetanei, 2-4 e centro 
foliorum rosule orientes, subsessiles. Oalyz campanulatus, mem- 
branaceus, circa 20 lin. longus, lobis 3 brevibus triangularibus. 
Corolla pallide lutea, circa 3 poll. longa, profunde lobata, lobis 
oblongo-lanceolatis acutis 6 lin. latis. Staminodia lateralia nulla. 
Labellum luteum, basi convolutum 4 poll. longum, limbo suborbiculari 
patente 5 poll. diam. margine undulato. Stamen petaloideum, luteum, 
4 poll. longum, 4 lin. latum, lanceolatum; anthera paullo infra 
medium filamenti adnata, 4 lin. longa, loculis parallelis. Ovariwm 
pracipue apice villosum; ovula numerosa; stylus filiformis; stigma 
flabellatum, ciliatum. Capsula membranacea, circa 1 poll. longa.— 
Kempferia spectabilis, Benth. in Benth. et Hook. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. 
p- 642. Costus spectabilis, K. Schum. in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. vol. xv. 
p- 422; Engl. Pflanzenr., Zingiberacew, p. 421. Gagnepain in Bull. 
Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, vol. xv. p. 18. . 
This plant was originally described in 1865 as the type 
of a new genus, concerning the validity of which opinions 
have since differed. Bentham suggested that it should 
be united with Kempferia, while K. Schumann has placed 
it in Costus. It is, however, intermediate between these 
two genera, having the habit, calyx, and corolla of the 
former, with the stamen and staminodes as in the latter, 
and is, therefore, better retained as generically distinct. 
One other species has been referred to this genus, viz. 
C. pistiefolia, Baker, from Angola, which differs from the 
present plant in having the leaves thickened and spongy 
at the base, but not imbricate. 
C. spectabilis is widely diffused in Tropical Africa, 
extending from Upper Sennar and Loukoungou, on the 
Congo, southward to Nyasaland. A specimen from 
Morambala Mountain, Portuguese East Africa, collected 
by Sir John Kirk, is accompanied by a water-colour 
JaNuaRy Ist, 1905. 
