326 SCITAMINE^. [chap. 



at each side of the labellum (see Alpinia Galanghas). In 

 ihe beautiful garden Hedychiufii the three outer petaloid 

 staminodia are nearly equal, so that the flower is almost 

 regular. Of the three inner staminal leaves in the Type- 

 species, one is developed as an anther-bearing stamen, while 

 the other two are minute staminodia. They may be easily 

 found on tearing the tube of the perianth open to its base, 

 nestled around the base of the style. Sometimes they are 

 coherent, and form a sheath around it. 



Observe the entire, parallel-veined, sheathing leaves ; m 

 the Banana and Plantain of enormous size, their sheathing 

 petioles forming a stem often several yards in height : the 

 two-celled anther of Alpinia and its allies clasping the upper 

 part of the style, the stigma projecting beyond the cells of 

 the anther : the crest, often bifid, of the anther in Amomiwi^ 

 Cosfus, and some other genera : the pulpy aril enveloping 

 the seeds in many genera ; the embryo separated from the 

 white, flowery, radiating albumen, by the membrane of the 

 embryo-sac (in the genera with two-celled anthers). 



The three most useful species of this tropical Family 

 represent respectively the three Tribes indicated above. 

 They are the Ginger and Arro^\TOOt plants, and the Banana. 



Ginger is the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale. Aro- 

 matic properties more or less like those of Ginger mark the 

 rhizomes of several species : amongst others, of the Indian 

 Alpinia Galanghas, of Costtis, and of the two species of 

 Curcuma, aff'ording Zedoary and Turmeric. 



Arrowroot is the starch obtained from the tuberous rhizome 

 of Afaranta arimdinacea. A farina of similar quality is 

 afforded in India by the tubers of some native species of 

 Curcuma. 



The fruit of the Banana {Musa) is familiar to every 

 resident in tropical countries. 



