72 MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA, Alpinia, - 
" filament is.a small acute hornlet, as in most of the plants of 
this genus, and in several of the other genera of our other 
Indian Scitaminee. Filament short, erect. Anther double, 
emarginate. Germ beneath, oval, smooth. Style slender, | 
Stigma fumnel-shaped. Nectarial scales of Konig, subulate, 
almost: half the length of the tube of the corol. Capsule oval, 
somewhat three-sided, size of a small nutmeg ; thrsoroctied, 
three-valved, Seeds many, angular. 
Obs. The following account of this interesting plant has 
lately been transmitted to me by Captain Dickson, the Com- 
manding Officer of the district of pee where the Cardo- 
mum is cultivated, viz. 
“The Cardomum shrub is found in great andeiin among 
the western mountains of Wynaad, and is called by the na- 
tives of Malabar Ailum chedy (the Ailum shrub). 1 cannot ob- 
tain any satisfactory derivation of the true import of the 
word Ailum, unless, as is alleged, it implies in the Sanskrit - 
language, celebrity, and eminence. 
“ The shrub is said to be produced as follows. ‘Before the 
commencement of the periodical rains, in June, the cultiva- 
tors of the 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 méans by which the Cardomum 
plants are first produced, and have invariably been told as 
already stated. They attribute no other effects to the falling 
tree, which may be selected from any spécies, than such as 
are derived from its weight and strength, added to the shade 
and shelter which its branches afford to the young plants, » 
I have heard it by some asserted that the Cardomum,like the 
pc aaa would emerge from the ashes of any large _ 
bat these stories were uttered only ax the ° enomna 
