Curcuma. monandhia monogyNia. 21 



Sans. ^C€\, Shutee, 71'^'^^% GMndha-moolee, ^lj:^f^^T, Shwd - 

 grMnthhika, ^^T, K?<rvoora, ^'*^T, Kjnchoorn, and 'fr5fI'ir,P«lasha. 



Hind, and Teling. K?/choora. 



JBeng. Sh?/thee, Kuchoora. 



Pers. Zerumbad. 



Kua. Rheed. mal. vol. \\. p. 13. t. 7- 



Zerumbed. Humph, amb. 5. p. l68. t. 68, 



Amomum Zerumbeth. Kon. in Retz. obs. 3. 55. 



Zerumbet, or Cachora of Garcias. 



The plants from which the followhig description was taken, were 

 sent by Dr.F. Buchanan, from Chittagong, where they are indigenous, 

 to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, in 1798, where they grow freely, 

 and blossom in the month of April. Others have since been procured 

 from thence under the Bengalee name Kuchoora. From that place the 

 native druggists in Calcutta, are chiefly supplied with the root or drug. 



Root consists, as in all the other species of this genus, of ovate 

 bulbs, giving support to the parts above ground ; from their oppo- 

 site sides spring the palmate tubers ; these two sorts are inwardly of 

 a pale yellow, or straw colour, and possess an agreeable camphorace- 

 ous smell, and warm bitterish, spicy taste. From the bulbs chiefly, 

 the proper fibrous roots issue : some of these are thicker than others, 

 penetrate deeper into the soil, and end in an oblong, pearl-coloured, 

 solid tuber; which is more spongy and less fragrant when cut, than 

 the bulbs and palmate tubers. — Stems no other than the united 

 sheaths of the leaves, surrounded by two or three obtuse, smooth, 

 green, faintly striated, appressed scales. Height of the whole plant 

 about three feet, lor three and a half. — Leaves from four to six toge- 

 ther, sub-bifarious ; in general a pretty long, somewhat winged peti- 

 ole intervenes between each and its stem-forming base. The 

 leaf itself is broad-lanceolar, fine-pointed, and smooth on both sides ;^ 

 constantly a dark purple cloud runs down the cen tre ; veins numer-v 

 ous, fine and parallel; length from 1 to 2 feet. — ^cape rises distinct 

 from the leafy stems, and rather before or with them, stout, 5 or 6 

 inches long, and sunouuded with a few, obtuse; laX; green sheaths, 



