Alpinia. MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. < 63 
three, caducous, boat-shaped: leaves embracing the raceme.— Flowers 
very large, a pure smooth shining white, except the inner border, or 
labium, which is a beautiful mixture of orange and crimson.— Brac- 
` tes, (or inferior calyx), gibbous, bursting on one side to the base, and 
` partially on the other.—Calyx superior, one-leafed, gibbous, length 
of the bracte, splitting into various portions.—Corol ; exterior bor- 
der of three, oblong, obtuse, entire segments, of which the upper is 
largest. Inner border or labium, very large ; when expanded, three 
inches broad, and two and three quarters long, somewhat three-lob- 
- 'ed, the two lateraf semi-circular and incurved i into | a S the middle 
one smalier, more. Projected, curled, and sometimes ‘bifid ; from the 
base om each side an incurved, sharp ve cni rent about as long. 
as the large, broad, deeply bifid, obtuse, two-lobed roin ti i 
of König; in most of the other plants of this order, I have found this - 
part to consist of two distinct bodies here it is of one, very thick, 
and short with itstruncated, apex tuberculate.— Germ inferior, obo- 
vate, hairy, three-celled, with many ovala in each, attached to central 
` receptacles. Style toward the apex hairy. Stigma rising erect 
through the bifid apex of the anther, funnel-shaped, hairy. — Capsule 
obovate, spheroidal, ‘size of a very large gooseberry, armed with 
_ Short, sharp, stiff, slender bristles; when ripe nearly dry, and yellow, 
_ three-celled, three-valved.— Seed numerous, ovate, oval, or obovate, - 
immersed in a large portion of a soft pulpy matter, which in the im- — 
mature state form distinct arils; on each side, and round the apex a 
groove. Integuments two, browns and rather thin.—Perisperm car- 
tilaginous, cloven at both ends by a brown spongy fissure, but deep- 
est from the apex.—Vitellus, the centre of each of the superior limbs 
of the perisperm, is occupied by a small, thin, oblong body of a clear- 
er colour ; and widely distinct from both embryo and perisperm. | 
— Embryo, the upper part crescent-shaped; with its horns projecting - 
into thelimb ofthe perisperm, and in some degree into the vitellus. - 
Radicle inferior, projecting straight from the convex, or under si 
of the crescent, with its base to the umbilicus. | 
- Obs. This is the most beautiful plant of ty hol r 
e 
