Amomum. kionandria. monocsmia. tMH 



Sheaths embrace about three quarters of the stem, are smooth, and 

 rise in an obtuse process, (ligula,) above the insertion of the leaves. 

 — Scapes from the bulb, or base of the stem, where it unites with 

 the root, rather slender, from six to twelve inches long, and closely 

 imbricated with many, mucronate, smooth, sheathing scales. — Spiket 

 linear-oblong, about the size of a man's thumb, imbricated with si- 

 milar, but larger scales than those of the scape ; the inner more 

 deeply coloured. — Flowers few, pretty large, and possessed of a 

 strong spicy fragrance. — Bractes ; proper two to each flower, linear- 

 oblong, inserted round the base of the germ, like an inferior peri- 

 anth. — Ca/j/.r superior, deep blood red, smooth on both sides, slit two 

 thirds on the outside, apex obscurely three-toothed. — Corol. Tube 

 clavate, about as long as the bractes. Exterior border red, consist- 

 ing of one large, erect, oblong, concave segment, which protects the 

 anther and stigma ; and of two inferior, very narrow segments. Lip 

 obovate-cuneate, entire, or sliglitly three-lobed, yellow, and about 

 as long as the exterior border. — Filament broad, particularly toward 

 the base, where it has a small, coloured hornleton each side. Anther 

 double, surmounted with a large, three-toothed coronet. — Germ 

 clavate, obscurely three-sided, three-celled, with many ovula in each, 

 attached to the partitions. Stigma funnel-shaped, somewhat bilabiate. 

 Nectariui bodies of' Koenig are here larger, and longer than in the 

 other species. 



3. A. aculeatum. JR. 



Leaves sub-sessile, cordate-lanceolate. Spikes obovate, lax, even 

 with the ground. Lip oval, ventiicose. Crest amply three-lobed. Cap- 

 sules echiuate. 



A native of the Malay Archipelago. It was raised from seed sent 

 to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta by Mr. W. Roxburgh, in 1802, 

 where the plants blossom in April and May, and ripen their seed iu 

 October and November. 



Root perennial, tuberous like ginger, with many, thick, fleshy 

 fibres. — Stemi a little recurvate, the thickness of a walking cane. 



