4 monandria monogynia. Phrijninm. 



penetrates from the base pretty far up, separating (lie two 

 extremities of the embryo. Vitellus ; none has been disco- 

 vered in any of the simple-anthcred scitamineee which have 

 been examined by me. Embryo pure white, hooked, with 

 the convexity upward, which corresponds with the periphery 

 of the seed. 



2. P. virgatnm. R. 



Stems simple. Leaves bifarious, lanceolate. Spikes ter- 

 minal, filiform, compound. 



A native of Malabar, from thence sent to the late Dr. 

 Anderson of Madras for the Cardamom plant, and by him 

 presented to the Botanic garden at Calcutta, where it blossoms 

 during the rainy season. 



Root a stout, crooked, tough, til nous, horizontal main bo- 

 dy, with numerous, thick, strong fibres therefrom ; every 

 part void of odour. Stems numerous, erect, six to eight feet 

 high, jointed, lower joint or two much swelled ; invested in 

 the sheaths of the leaves, fistulous ; the largest are about as 

 thick as a slender walking cane near the baseband at the top 

 as thick as a common quill. Leans hi furious, short-petioled on 

 their sheaths, lanceolate, polished; from six to eighteen 

 inches long. Sheaths and petioles smooth and even, except 

 the inside of the petioles, where there are a few long, soft 

 hairs. Spikes terminal, two or three together, and they are 

 very generally two, or three cleft, very slender, and often 

 near a foot long, jointed, with a two-flowered pedicel at each 

 joint. Floicers pure white, inodorous. Bractes two or three 

 at each division; and also embracing the two-flowered pedi- 

 cels, size very various, but the shape ensiform, and channel- 

 led. Calyx of three, small, distinct, acute, conic, leaflets. 

 Corol with a very short tube ; exterior border of three, near- 

 ly equal, oblong, reflexed segments ; within are two which 

 are unequal and much larger; they form the conspicuous 

 portion of the flower, one is obcordate, the other is obovate ; 

 inner segments three, and smaller, the two longest of them 



