B _MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Phrynium, | 
2. P. virgatum. R. | S 
Stems simple. Leaves bifarious, lanceolate. Spikes terminal filis _ 
form compound. | i 
A native of Malabar, from thence sent to the late Dr. Anderson of — 
Madras for the Cardamom plant, and by him presented to the Bota- — 
nic Garden at Calcutta, where it blossoms during the rainy season. Í 
Root a stout, crooked, tough, fibrous, horizontal main body, with — 
numerous, thick, strong fibers therefrom; every part void of odour. — 
—Stems numerous, erect, 6-8 feet high, slender, jointed, lower joint 
or two much swelled; invested in the sheaths of the leaves, fistulous ; 
the largest are about as thick as a slender walking cane near the 
base, and at the top as thick as a common quill.— Leaves bifarious, 
short-petioled on their sheaths, lanceolate, polished; length from 6 — 
to 18 inches.—Sheaths and petioles smooth and even, except the in- 
side of the petioles, where there are a few long, soft hairs.—Spikes | | 
terminal, two or three together, and they are very generally two, or $ 
three cleft, very slender, and often near a foot long, jointed, with a — 
two flowered pedicel at each joint.— Flowers pure white, inodorus.— l 
Bractes two or three at each division; and also embracing the two- H 
flowered pedicels, size very various, but the shape ensiform,and chan- 
nelled.—Calyz of three, small, distinct, acute, conic, leaflets.—Corol ~ 
with a very short tube; exterior border of three, nearly equal, oblong, 
reflexed segments ; within are two which are unequal, and much larger ; 
they form the conspicuous portion of the flower, one is obcordate, 
the other is obovate; inner segments 3, and smaller, the two long- f 
est of them form yellow margined hoods for the anther and stigma. — 
—Filament inserted between two of the inner segments of the corol, — 
erect. — Anther one-celled, ovate.—Germ inferior, hairy, 3-celled, 
with one ovulum in each, attached to the base of the axis. Style 
growing to the short tube of the corol, above free, and uncinate. 
Stigma funnel-form.— Capsule oblong-obovate, size of a field-bean, 
rugose, when ripe pale yellow, 3-celled, 3-valved. Partitions op- 
posed.— Seed solitary, oblong ; a small lobate aril round the umbi- 
licus at the base of the seed, Integuments two; exterior brown, and 
