Tas. 8188. 
KAEMPFERIA Krirgn, var. Ecattor. 
Rhodesia. 
ZINGIBERACEAE. Tribe HEDYCHIEAR. 
Karmprertia, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. PP 641; K. Schum. 
in Engler, Pflanzenreich, vol. iv. pars 66, p. 64. 
Kaempferia Kirkii, K. Schum., var. elatior, Stapf; a typo (Cienkowskia 
Kirkii, Hook. f.) statura elatiore, foliis longioribus pro ratione angus- 
tioribus basi longius attenuatis, pedunculis elatioribus, labelli maculo 
fauciali aureo utrinque purpureo-notato differt. 
Herba perennis cum foliis ad 45 cm. alta. Folia oblanceolata vel oblanceolato- 
oblonga, acuminata, basi saepe longe attenuata, lamina ad 30 cm. longa, 
5-8 cm. lata, amoene viridia, subtus pallidiora; petioli inferne vaginantes, 
ad 15 cm. longi. Caulis florens cum foliis coétaneus, ad 35 cm. longus; 
spica brevis, 4-5-flora; pedunculus paucisquamatus; bracteae lanceolatae, 
cymbiformes, 2-3 cm. longae; pedicelli inferiores ad 1:3 cm. longi. Calyx 
superne leviter dilatatus, 3-dentatus, 10-12 mm. longus. Corolla albida; 
tubus ad 15 mm. longus; lobi oblongo-lanceolati, inaequilati, circiter 
25 mm. longi, latissimus 10 mm. latus. Staminodia oblique obovata, 
rosea, parte libera 3-3°5 cm. longa, ad 3 cm. lata. Labellwm roseum, 
latissimum, 4 cm. longum, 7 cm. latum, bilobum, sinu ad 15 mm. alto, 
basi maculo aureo utrinque late purpureo-marginato ornatum. Filamentum 
breve; connectivum ultra antheram 6 mm. longam in appendicem apice 
subemarginatam ad 18 mm. longam 8 mm. latam superne auream pro- 
ductum. Ovariwm vix 10 mm. longum, 
This beautiful plant belongs to a group of very closely 
allied forms which are spread all over tropical Africa. They 
are unfortunately very difficult to discriminate in the dry 
state unless prepared with particular care and represented 
by very complete specimens; and next to nothing is known © 
about their range of variation under natural conditions. 
K. Schumann, in his elaboration of the Zingiberaceae in 
Engler’s Pflanzenreich, recognises three species in this 
group, whilst Gagnepain in a recent paper (Bull. Soc. 
Bot. France, 1905, p. 537) treats two of them, K. rosea and 
K. Kirkii, as synonymous ; but if this is correct, K. Carsoni 
will also have to be reduced to K. Kirkii. A fourth species 
with very narrow leaves was described simultaneously 
(July, 1906) by N. E. Brown as K. Cecilae and by 
Apri, 1908, 
