of the Monandrous Plants of India. - "T9 
exist some striking diversities ; and that in particular, as Dr. Rox- 
burgh observes, “ all the Alpinie (except this) terminate in a 
copious raceme or panicle of large gaudy flowers;" whereas this 
flowers in a procumbent panicle, immediately from the root or 
base of the stem: Thus, whilst its parts of fructification in some 
respects resemble an Alpinia, its habit connects it more nearly 
with Amomum. On this account I am induced to agree with 
Dr. Maton, in his observations in the Linn. Trans. vol. x. p. 249, 
in establishing this as a new genus, under the name of Elettaria. 
The very full description and explicit figures given of it by Mr. 
White, Surgeon of the Bombay Establishment*, will now suffi- 
ciently enable us to discriminate this from every other genus in 
the order. 1f, however, the generic distinction be well founded, 
it must exist not only in the habit of the plant, but in its inflo- 
rescence and parts of fructification, and especially in its anther- 
bearing filament, which, as you have justly observed, (Exot. 
Bot. ii. 86,) “is the only principle upon which natural genera in 
this order can be founded." I have accordingly attentively con- 
sidered Mr. White's figures and description ; and after comparing 
them with those of Van Rheede, and with the essential charac- 
teristics of the other genera in the order, find a most striking 
peculiarity in the conformation of the filament, which rises from 
the germen, and is connate with the petals and style, but extends 
in a cylindrical form beyond the diverging of the petals, till it 
expands into two horizontal appendages or hornlets ; after which 
the filament is continued only by a short erect linear process, 
forming a sort of proper stamen, and bearing on its edges, at the 
upper extremity, the double anthera. ‘I'he lobes of this anthera, 
as is usual in the true Scitaminee, embrace the style, which is in- 
closed and conveyed by the cylindrical tube till it rises within a 
* Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. x. p. 248. 
very 
