RECENT KEVISIONS OF CEYLON BOTANY. Jj61 



Curcuma longa L. has bracts pale green, then yellow-reddish 

 or pale yellow, and flowers pale yellow or purple-red. 

 Moreover, he describes and figures a species with a lateral 

 inflorescence. 



Roxburgh took as Curcuma longa the species described by 

 Koenig. Koenig's description in Retz. Obs. (1783), III., 

 72, calls for a species with a central inflorescence, white bracts, 

 and a white flower, with a median longitudinal yellow stripe on 

 the lip. 



Valeton finds that the Ceylon Turmeric is the same as the 

 species grown in Java and Malacca, and apparently also in 

 Cochin-China. This has a central inflorescence. The bracts 

 are pale green, often with a few longitudinal white stripes or 

 bordered with whii'^ , while a few of the coma bracts are wholly 

 white. The flower is creamj^ white, with a yellow median 

 stripe on the lip. He has described it under the name of 

 Curcuma domestica Val., and regards it as identical with 

 Curcuma longa Koen. (non Linn.), and the Curcuma domestica 

 minor of Rumphius. 



The rhizomes supplied to L'r. Valeton from Ceylon were 

 obtained from a village cultivator, and there is, therefore, 

 no doubt that Curcuma domestica Val. is cultivated as Tur- 

 meric in Ceylon. Furthermore, plants in flower have recently 

 been obtained from two native gardens in Ceylon and from 

 the Experiment Station, Anuradhapura (1919), and these 

 answer to the description of Curcuma domestica. In these 

 latter specimens, however, the coma bracts, especially the 

 uppermost, bear very minute purple-red spots, only distinguish- 

 able as spots with a lens, on the upper part of the bract, and 

 chiefly towards the margin, so that the uppermost coma 

 bracts are slightly tinged with purple at the edges. 



Hermann described the plant of Hort. Acad. Lugd. Bat., 

 p. 208, as having a terete rhizome, with concentric zones, 

 yellow within, inclining to purple (puniceus) when old ; his 

 figure shows a more regular rhizome than is usual in Turmeric. 

 The leaves were light green, acuminate. The flowering stalk 

 arose from the rhizome at some distance from the leafy 

 stem, and was naked below. The bracts were pale green at 

 first, afterwards " ex flavo rubentia vel ex pallido flava," 



