166 



ZINGIBERACE.E. 



[Endogens. 



R. Br. Prodr.j membrane of the amnios, Ibid, in King's Voyage, 21), with wliich it 

 does not cohere. 



Formerly the Gingerworts and ISIarants were united m one tribe called Cannese : hence 

 it ib certain that thev are at least more nearly related to each other than to anythmg 

 else, and that whatever is the affinity of the one wiU be that of the other. Taking the 

 vegetation mto account, these two tribes are exceedingly nearly alhed to Musads, m 

 which is found the same kind of leaf, the veins of which are closely set, and diverge from 

 the midi-ib to the margin, being connected by very weak 

 and imperfect intermediate veins ; the leaves have also 

 the same distinct petiole, often with a thickened rotmded 

 space at the apex ; Musads are, however, pent- or hex- 

 audrous, \vith a calyx and corolla of the same texture. 

 Irids are the next Order with which Gingerworts may 

 be compared, agreeing in theu* superior flowers, which 

 have sometimes an approach to the h'regularity of 

 Alpinia, and also m the triple number of theu' stamens ; 

 but while these organs are all developed in Irids, two 

 are abortive or deformed in Gmgerworts and Marants. 

 Bromelworts have been identified with them of old, but 

 their resemblance consists chiefly in the distinction of 

 calyx and corolla, and theu' inferior ovary. To Orcliids, 

 to which the flowers of Mantisia bear much resemblance, 

 they are related in consequence of the reduction of 

 their three stamens to one by the abortion of two : but 

 the cohesion of the stamens and style in the latter, and 

 the want of any distinction between calyx and 

 corolla, sufficiently separate them, besides which the 

 series which produces the stamens in Orchids answers 

 to the sterile stamens or inner limb of the corolla 

 in the Gingerworts. There is a volume consecrated 

 to plants of this kind by Roscoe, who first remodelled 

 the genera and reduced them withm fixed Umits. 

 Between the embryo and the albumen is interposed a 

 fleshy body enveloping the former : this has been called 

 a process of the rostellum by Correa, a cotyledon by 

 Smith, a vitellus by Gsertner and Brown, a central 

 indurated portion of the albumen by Richard. It is now knowii to be the innermost 

 integument of the ovule, unabsorbed during the advance of this body to maturity. 



Independently of the presence of this vitellus, the most remarkable part of the struc- 

 ture of Gingerworts depends on the number of divisions of the floral envelopes, which 

 consist of a tubular calyx, and of two more series mstead of one. Brown, struck with 

 this unusual deviation from the ordinary organization of Monocotyledons, was disposed 

 to consider the calyx an accessory part (Prodr. 305) ; but Lestiboudois' explanation 

 a,ppeai's more satisfactory. Accordmg to this botanist Gingerworts are really hexandrous, 

 like the nearly-related Musads ; but of theii' stamens the outer series is petaloid, and 

 forms the inner hmb of the corolla, and of the mner series of stamens the central one 

 only developes, the latex-al ones appearing in the form of rudimentary scales. This 

 notion of Lestiboudois is confirmed by Marants, in which the inner stamens (even 

 that which is antheriferous) become petaloid Hke the outer : thus sho^ving that in these 

 plants there is a strong and general tendency in the filaments to assume the state of 

 petals. 



All are tropical, or nearly so. By far the gi-eater number inhabit various parts 

 of the East Indies ; some are foimd in Africa, and a few in America. They form a part 

 of the singular Flora of Japan. 



They are generally objects of great beauty, either on account of the high develop- 

 ment of the floral envelopes, as in Hedychium coronarium and Alpinia nutans ; or 

 because of the rich and glowmg colours of the bracts, as m Cm-cuma Roscoeana. They 

 are, however, prmcipally valued for the sake of the aromatic stimulating properties of 

 the root or rhizome, such as are fovmd in Gmger (Zingiber officmale), Galangale 

 (Alpmia racemosa and Galanga), Zedoary (Curcuma Zedoaria and Zerumbet), and 

 some other species of the latter genus. Many more species are used in a similar 

 manner. The warm and pungent roots of the greater and lesser Galangale are not only 

 used by the Indian doctors m cases of dyspepsia, but are also considered useful in 



Fig. CXIV. 



Fig. CXIV.— A flower of Mantisia saltatoria 

 abortive stamens. 



1. style, stigma, and anther; 2. ovarj', style, and 



