277 



bent, 1-2 feet long, thick, villous chiefly at the summit, with 

 fasciculated hairs. Leaves alternate, petiolate, semicordate, 

 inequilateral, turning to one side, 8 inches long, acute, with 

 gross subspinescent serratures, villous beneath, adult leaves 

 smooth above, nerves generally dichotomous. Petioles thick, 

 round, furrowed above. Stipules none. Peduncles axillary 

 or supra-axillary. Flowers unilateral, erect, arranged in 2 

 rows on a recurved spike, nearly sessile, crowded. Bracteas 

 cuneiform, obtuse. Calyx semi-superior, ovate, villous, 5- 

 lobed, lobes obtuse. Corolla white, campanulate, persistent, 

 limb recurved, 5-lobed, lobes obtuse; after flowering, the 

 lobes become green and enlarged. Stamens 5, erect, short, 

 inserted on the calyx, and opposite to its divisions. Anthers 

 linear, acute. Ovary surrounded by the calyx, and connected 

 with it by 5 longitudinal septa or processes, from which the 

 stamens spring, 3-4-celled, many-seeded ; placentae from the 

 inner angles of the cells. Style short, thick. Stigma large, 

 thick, 3-lobed. Capsule 3-4-celled, containing numerous 

 seeds^ arranged on convex placentae. 



The septa which unite the calyx and ovary appear continu- 

 ous with the filaments of the stamens. The young parts of 

 the plant are densely villous, but the hairs are easily rubbed 

 away. In drying, the plant assumes a bright yellow colour. 

 It appears extremely doubtful whether this plant be truly 

 referable to Phyteuma ; it does not, however agree well with 

 any other genus of the family of Campanulacece, and it will 

 deserve consideration whether it ought not to constitute a 

 new genus in that order. 



>/ CURCULIGO SUMATRANA. Roxb. 



Hexandria Monogynia. 



C. sumatrana ; foliis lato-lanceolatis plicatis glabris, spicis 

 densis brevibus, tubo perianthii bacca longiore. 



Involucrum. Rumph. Amb. v. 6. p. 114. t. 53. Kalapa 

 Puyn. Malay. 



Sumatra and Pulo Penang. — Root composed of fibres, 

 proceeding from a tuber. Leaves radical, petiolate, ovato- 



