296 AFRICAN SPECIES OF AMOMUM, 



Specimens of the fruit have the seeds covered with a very pale silvery 

 epidermis, whereas older ones are very dark brown and shining. Caly^ 

 obtuse or three-toothed at the apex (not cut into three long segments, 

 as described in the 'Botanical Magazine/ nor are the lateral lobes of 

 the perianth absent, as there supposed). The seeds are as aromatic 

 as those of A, Melegueta^ Eoscoe, but less pungent. 



The short tube of the perianth, pubescent scape, bracts, perianth, and 



distinguish 



species 



4. Amomum longiscapum^ Hook. fil. ; foliis approximatis lineari-lan- 



! acuminatis basi truncatis cordato-bilobis, ligula brevis- 



sima truncata, scapo elongate erecto, bracteis plurimis appressis sen- 

 sim longioribus superioribus late oblongis obtusis truncatisve, floribus 

 3-5 terminalibus, calycis tubo elongato apice acuto, perianthii lobis 

 lateralibus e basi lata sensim angustatis dorsali oblongo-obtuso, la- 

 belli limbo amplo late obovato rotundato margine undulato-plicato, 

 filamento brevi basi utrinque processubus 3 insequalibus instructo, 

 antherae lobo terminali apice rotundato lobulis lateralibus cornutis 

 ascendentibus, staminodiis liberis linearibus, fructu anguste lanceo- 

 lato compresso trigone, seminibus immaturis. 

 Hab. Eegent, and Sugar-loaf Mountain, Sierra Leone, Dr. DanielL 



Eerba elata, glaberrima. Folia pedalia, 24 unc. lata. Scapi 6-10-un- 

 ciales, graciles. Bractecs inferiores parvse, superiores latse, 2-un- 

 ciales, purpureo-maculatse. MoreB ampli, inodori. Perianthii tubus 

 gracilis; labellura purpureum, basi albidum, AntTiera pui'purea. 

 Fructus siccus 2^-3 unc. longus (excl. perianth.), f unc. latus, glaber, 

 parietibus ut videtur vix carnosis. Semina immatura, valde angu- 

 lata, arillo papyraceo tecta. 

 'A very handsome species, conspicuous for the cordate bases of its 



leaves ; very short, almost obsolete ligula ; and very long scapes, with 



large blotched upper bractese, while the lower bracts are small and very 



numerous. 



5. Amomum cereum. Hook, fil. ; foliis lineari-lanceolatis (basi obliquis) 

 apice longe acuminatis, ligula brevi truncata, scapo gracili elongato 

 sub-6-floro, bracteis appressis obtusis truncatisve cuspidatis, calycis 

 spathacei tubo elongato ore brevi apice subacuto, perianthii interni 

 tubo basi solido lobis lateralibus linearibus obtusis dorsali oblongo- 

 obtuso, labello amplo late rotundato margine crispato plicato, fila- 



