48 MAEAXTACEAE. 



Family 2. ALPINIACEAE. Ginger Family. 



Caulescent, sometimes large, herbs mostly with horizontal rootstocks. 

 Flowers mostly perfect, borae in spike-like, sometimes cone-like, thyrsoid, 

 or open panicles. Calyx of 3, partially united sepals, sometimes spathe- 

 like. Corolla of 3 petals partially united into a tube. Fruit capsular. 



1. LANGUAS Koen. Herbs with horizontal rootstocks and erect stems. 

 Leaves erect. Panicle thyrsoid, terminating a leafy stem, with often imbricate 

 bracts. Calyx 3-lobed. Petals 3, the upper one larger than the others. Lip 

 large and showy. Staminodia minute or wanting. Capsules sometimes baccate. 



1. L. speciosa (Wendl.) Small. Plants 1-4 m. tall, the stem sheathed: leaf- 

 blades oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-4 dm. long: flower-stalks drooping from 

 sheaths: calyx 18-23 mm. long: corolla white, tinged with magenta: lip 5-6 

 cm. long, crisped, yellow, variegated with brown and red. — Hammocks. Nat. 

 of the E. Indies.— (Cw&o, Ant.) — Shell-flower. 



Family 3. CANNACEAE. Caxna Family. 



Caulescent herbs. Flowers perfect. Calyx of 3 erect sepals. Corolla 

 of 3 partially united petals. Androecivun more or less adnate to the 

 corolla: one filament anther-bearing, the others petaloid. Ovary 3-celled, 

 the placentae parietal. Style petaloid, the stigma marginal. Fruit a 

 loculicidal papillose or bristly capsule. 



1. CANNA L. Large or tall herbs, with relatively large leaves. Flowers 

 mostly showy, borne in terminal thyrsoid panicles. 



1. C. flaccida Eoscoe. Plants 1.5 m. tall or less: leaf -blades 2.5-5.5 dm. 

 long: flowers very showy, mainly yellow: sepals 2.5-3 cm. long: perianth- 

 tube much longer than the sepals: corolla-lobes 5-6.5 cm. long: staminodia 

 dilated: capsules 4-6 cm. long. — Everglades. — Indian-shot. 



Family 4. MARANTACEAE. Arrowroot Family. 



Seapose or caulescent herljs. Flowers perfect or sometimes poly- 

 gamous. Calyx of 3 distinct or partially united sepals. Corolla of 3 dis- 

 tinct or partially united petals. Androecium partially adnate to the 

 corolla: one filament anther-bearing, the others petaloid. Ovai-y 1-3- 

 celled. Style thick, the stigma 2-lipped. Fruit utricular, smooth. 



Petals partially united : lateral staminodia 2. 1. Makanta. 



Petals distinct or nearly so : lateral stuminodium 1. 2. Thalia. 



1. MARANTA [Plum.] L. Eelatively slender caulescent herbs, not 

 white-powdery. Flowers solitary or few in panicles. Corolla-tube cylindric. 

 Perianth mainly white. 



1. M. anmdinacea L. Stems 1-2 m. tall, from scaly rootstocks: leaf-blades 

 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 8-25 cm. long: sepals 10-12 mm. long: corolla 

 white about 2 cm. long: staminodia surpassing the corolla: fruit about 1 cm. 

 long. — Hammocks. Nat. of Trop. Am., and cultivated. — Arrowroot. 



2. THALLA. L. Eelatively stout seapose herbs, white powdery, at least 

 above. Flowers numerous, in large panicles. Corolla-tube wanting or obsolete. 

 Perianth white or purple. 



1. T. divaricata Chapm. Leaf -blades lanceolate, sometimes broadly so, 2-6 

 dm. long: scapes mostly 1-3 m. tall, widely branched above; nodes of the 

 panicle bearded: perianth purple or pale. — Everglades. 



