70 / - . MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Alpinia, 
base ofthe filament is a small acute hornlet, as in most ofthe plants 
of this genus, and in several of the other genera of our other Indian 
- Scitaminece.— Filament short, erect. Anther double, emarginate.— 
Germ beneath, oval, smooth. Style slender. Stigma funnel-shaped. 
— Nectgrial scales of Konig, subulate, almost half the length of the 
tube of the corol.— Capsule oval, somewhat three-sided, size of-a 
small nutmeg ; three-celled, three-valved.— Seeds many, angular. 
Obs. ‘The following account of this interesting plant has lately. | 
been transmitted to me by Captain Dickson, the commanding offi- | 
cer of the district of Vynaad where the Cardomum i is cultivated, viz: 
, “The Cardomum shrub is found in great abundance : among the 
western mountains of /Vynaad, and is called by the natives of Mala- 
bar Aifum chedy (the Ailum shrub). I cannot obtain any satisfactory 
ed, it implies in the ‘Sanskrit language, celebrity, and eminence.” 
beue 
E ‘The shrub i is said to be produced : as follows. Before the E : 
the peri al rains, in June, the cultivators of the 
mencement of 
Cardomum ascend the coldest, and most shady sides of a woody 
“mountain ; a tree of uncommon size and weight is then sought after, 
the adjacent spot is cleared of weeds, and the tree felled close at its 
root. The earth shaken, and loosened by the force of the fallen tree 
| shoots forth young Cardomum plants in about a month's time. I have ; 
repeatedly enquired of the natives the means by which the Cardomum — 
iet are first produced, and have invariably been told as already stat- | 
. They attribute no other’ effects to the falling tree, which may 
E a from any species, than such as are derived from its weight z 
and strength, added to the shade and shelter which its branches $ 
ford to tbe young plants. I have heard it by some asserted that the 
Cardomum like the famed Phoenix, would emerge from the ashes of — 
any large forest tree; but these stories were uttered only byt = ige 
norant, and are too absurd to require comment. - 
“The shrub continues to grow in this manner until me the ut 
rains of the fourth year, in February, when it has reached its ut- 
* Itis €-— — corrupted from ald the citi name of the NA Ea f 
niai ‘x T: 
FEM Sii * c . $ " a2 
4 
derivation of the true import of the word Ailum,* unless, as is alleg- — 
