Tas. 5761. 
AMOMUM SCEPTRUM. 
Sceptrate Grain of Paradise. 
Nat. Ord. Zrvarprerace2.—Monanpria Monoeynta. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tan. 4603.) 
Amomum sceptrum; foliis petiolatis anguste oblongo-lanceolatis glabris, 
ligula scariosa, scapis simplicibus apice clavato-turgidis, circa 10- 
floris, bracteis superioribus dorso apiculatis tempore florifero trans- 
verse plicatis, labello amplo orbiculato undulato roseo, staminodiis 
- liberis, fructu ovoideo compresso v. sub3-gono glabro, pericarpio 
crasso, seminibus angulatis. 
Amomum sceptrum. Oliver & Hanbury in Jowrn. Linn, Soc. v. 7, Bot. 
(1863), p. 109. 
A very beautiful plant, discovered by Gustav Mann, whilst 
collecting for the Royal Gardens, on the Gaboon River, in 
1861, and at Ambas Bay, where it grows near the shore. 
The specimens here figured were raised from seed procured 
by Daniel Hanbury, Esq., F.R.S., who flowered it in his 
garden at Clapham in January of the present year, and who 
informs me that it has also been sent from Old Calabar in 
1863, and from Akassa, River Nun, by Mr. E. J. L. Simmonds 
in 1865. As a species it approaches A. longiscapwm (Hook. 
Kew Journ. Bot. 1854, p. 296), but differs conspicuously in 
the narrowed base of the leaf and the linear outer perianth- 
lobes. Though belonging to the same genus as the plant 
producing the pungent and highly aromatic Melaguetta or 
Grain-of-Paradise seeds, those of this species are almost 
flavourless. 
Descr. Rhizome stout, rooting, sending out long scaly 
suckers. Leafing stems five to six feet high. Leaves 
eight to ten inches long, narrow oblong-lanceolate, one and 
a quarter to one and a half inch broad, narrowed to an acu- 
MARCH Ist, 1869. 
