iii.j SCITAMINEM. 325 



Sub-type — Indian Shot {Cojma indicd) differs from the 

 Type-species principally in having three petaloid staminodia 

 within the perianth, and the anther one-celled, the cell being 

 upon the margin of a petaloid stamen. 



Sub-type — Banana {Musa sapientum), with a perianth 

 in two segments, and five fertile stamens with two-celled 

 anthers, and a sixth stamen abortive. 



The anomalous character of this curious and important 

 Family, rich in species with beautiful flowers and affording 

 aromatic products, is chiefly due to the petaloid develop- 

 ment of two or more leaves of the flower, which in most 

 other Monocotyledons are anther-bearing stamens. This 

 makes the comprehension of the structure of these flowers 

 difficult to beginners. 



Normally, the flowers of ScitaminecB possess a six-leaved 

 perianth in two series, of three each. As the ovary is 

 always inferior, the perianth is usually regarded as gamo- 

 phyllous. The six lobes, especially the three inner ones, are 

 often unequal in form and size. Within the perianth there 

 are six " leaves" belonging to the staminal series. Of these 

 five are anther-bearing in Sub-type Banana, and but one in 

 Alpifiia and Sub-type Indian Shot. In Indian Shot the 

 tendency to suppression of the anthers is carried to an 

 extreme, there being but half an anther developed in the 

 single perfect stamen of each flower. The staminal leaves 

 which do not bear anthers are called stamiiiodia. Frequently 

 some of the staminodia are almost or altogether suppressed. 



In the Alpinia employed as Type-species there is but one 

 staminodium developed of the outer whorl of three staminal 

 leaves, and it is petaloid and larger than any of the perianth- 

 segments, forming the beautiful orange and crimson labelluvi 

 of the flower. The remaining two staminodia of the outer 

 whorl are to be found in the Alpinias as short teeth or lobes 



