294 AFRICAN SPECIES OP AMOMUM. 



This is undoubtedly the best and true Granum-Paradisi of our shops, 

 and the J. Meleg^teta of Eoscoe, whose figures and descriptions of 

 the flower and fruit are excellent. It is widely different from the A. 

 Gramtm-Paradm of Smith, with, which Pereira was disposed to unite it. 

 It varies extremely in the size of all its parts, the smaller states inhabit- 

 ing drier and alpine localities. It is the only single-flowered species, 

 and no other known one has similarly aromatic and pungent seeds, nor 

 so characteristic a pale brown tuberculated testa. Roscoe remarks^ 

 also, that the epigynous processes (abortive stamina) are longer than in 

 any other species known to hira. Numerous specimens of the fruit and 

 seeds are preserved in the Kew Museum, from various parts of the 

 west coast of Afiica, and from Demerara. None differ particularly in 

 the aromatic and pungent taste of the seed, nor in its peculiar testa; 

 but they vary considerably in size and in the length, breadth, and 

 colour of the often conical areola at the hilum. The name Melegueta 

 is applied by the Portuguese to various aromatic substances. 



^ 



§ 2, Scapi hi- v. pluri-Jlori. 

 a. Lahellum angustmn^ pendulum. 



2. Amomum Danielli, Hook. fil. in Journ. Bot. vol- iv. 129. t. 5 (sub 

 nom. A. Afzelii). "Bastard Meligetta," Pereira, Mat. IJjed, v. 3. 

 /. 251, 252. A. macrospermum ? Sm. in Mees' Cj/cL v. 39. Pereira, 

 Mai. Med. v. 2. p. 1139. Guihourt, Hist. Nat. de Drogues simples, 

 V. 2, p. 218./. 119? Zingiber Melegueta, Gcertner, de Fruct. v. 1. 

 p. 34. t, 12./. 1^ 

 Var, i3. purpureum; flore purpureo, anthera apice truncata. A.Danielli, 



JTook. Pot. Mag. t. 4764. 



IIab. Gold and Slave Coasts, Clarence Town, Sierra Leone, and Fer- 

 nando Po, Dr. Daniell. !F1. June and July. Nom. vern, "Barsalo.* 

 Var. /S, Sierra Leone, Danielle 



This species is easily distinguished by its golden-yellow flowers, and 

 by its narrow labellum, which hangs forward like that of an Orcliida- 

 ceous plant. The pulp surrounding the seeds is acid. It appears im- 

 possible to pronounce positively whether this be the A. macrospermum 



of Eees Cyclopaedia. 



The variety j3 was cultivated at Kew, from seeds sent home by 

 Dr» Darnell, and gathered, he believes, from specimens that had golden- 

 yellow flowers ; its flowers were red-purplish with yellow on the lip 



