THE MONOCOTYLEDONES 



1987 



which includes about sixty species found in tropical America. C. indica 

 (Fig. 19 19) is cosmopolitan and is cultivated as a garden plant. A number 

 of varieties and hybrids are known. 



Fig. 1918. — Hedychium gardnerianum. 

 Inflorescence. 



Fig. 1919. — Canna indica. Indian Shot. 

 Inflorescence. 



Finally there are the Marantaceae, a family with about a dozen genera 

 with about 300 tropical species, occurring in America. They are herbaceous 

 perennials resembling the Zingiberaceae but easily distinguished by a 

 swollen pulvinus at the junction of petiole and leaf blade. The chief genus 

 is Maranta with eighteen species, including M. ariindinacea whose rhizome 

 provides West Indian Arrowroot, which is prepared by grinding and washing 

 the rhizome to set free the storage starch. In the genus Calatliea, with 130 

 species in America and the West Indies, C. allouia produces tubers which 

 are eaten under the name of Topee Tampo. 



LILIALES 



Under the old Englerian term Liliiflorae was included a number of 

 families which are now generally separated as a result of the researches of 

 Hutchinson. He points out that in the course of his study of the families 

 and genera it has become clear that in the past too much attention has been 

 focused upon certain characters to the exclusion of others, with, in his 

 opinion, unfortunate results. In the group of families included by Engler 

 in the Liliiflorae this is particularly true. According to Engler all those 

 plants with actinomorphic flowers possessing a petaloid perianth, six 



