Tas. 6638, 
HEDYCHIUM GRAOCILE. 
Native of the Himalaya and Khasia Mountains. 
Nat. Ord. Scrraminem.—Tribe ZINGIBERER. 
Genus Hepycuivum, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen, Pl. vol. iii. p. 642 ined.) . 
Hepycnivm gracile; glabrum, pallide glauco-virescens, foliis supra vaginam 
breviter petiolatis lanceolatis acuminatis, vaginaram auriculis brevibus rotun- 
datis, spica elongata erecta cylindracea densiflora, rachi pubescente v. glabrata, 
bracteis lineari-oblongis obtusis glandulosis v. eglandulosis 1-2-floris, calycis 
membranacei ore valde obliquo apice barbellato, corollz alba tubo tenui 3-}- 
pollicari calyce vix duplo longiore, laciniis filiformibus, staminodiis (petalis 
2 eghaeene linearibus, labello angusto 2-lobo lobis angustis acutis, filamento 
rubro, 
H. gracile, Roxb. Hort. Beng. p.1; Fl. Ind. vol. i. p. 15; and Ed. Carey et Wal. 
vol. i. p. 12; Corom. Pl. vol. iii. p. 48; Wall. in Hook. Kew Journ. Bot. 
vol. v. p. 367 (1853); Horaninov, Prodr. Monog. Scitam. p.25; Wail. Cat. 
6543. 
H. glaucum, Roscoe Monand. Pl., Hedych. n. 3. 
H. viridiflorum, Clarke MSS.; Gard. Chron. 183], part 2, p. 406. 
Since the publication of the magnificent work on Scita- 
mineous plants of W. Roscoe, of Liverpool (better known 
as the erudite author of the life of Lorenzo de Medici), 
little has been done towards the illustration in this country 
of the beautiful Indian genus Hedychiwm, Seventeen species 
are figured in the above-named work, chiefly from speci- 
mens sent by Wallich from the Calcutta Botanical Gardens, 
and all of them from plants cultivated in those of Liverpool, 
and about half that number have appeared in this Magazine; 
but it is upwards of thirty years since the last of the 
latter was published (H. chrysoleucum, Hook., tab. 4976). 
Since the date of Roscoe’s work many species have been 
added to the genus, and most of these are included im 
Wallich’s “Initiatory attempt to define the species of 
Hedychium, and settle their synonymy,” published in the 
“Kew Journal of Botany,” vol. Ves t. 821 (1853). In this 
summary H. glaucum of Roscoe is reduced to H. gracile, 
avueusr lst, 1882. 
