ZINGIBERACE^. 409 



brown scales, the new tubers lateral. Leaves not visible 

 at time of flowering, many nerved. 



Flowering stem 4 to 7 inches sheathed below by the 

 undeveloped leaves, and with a few bracts below the 

 spike. Bracts about I inch by % inch, adnate to the axis 

 at the base and very concave, many nerved, white tinged 

 more or less with pink especially at the top. Flowers 

 sessile, in threes in the lower bracts, solitary in the upper. 

 Calyx tubular, % inch, unequally three-lobed. Petals 

 I inch, connate half way, very thin, with about five 

 reddish veins. Staminodes lemon yellow, the most 

 conspicuous part of the flower, but scarcely exceeding 

 the petals ; the two upper, oblanceolate obtuse, erect and 

 curved backwards ; two lower one forming the deeply 

 bifid lip. Stamen three-fourths the length of the upper 

 staminodes and attached to the staminodal tube at the 

 same level as them ; anther about % inch, with a small 

 yellow crest at the top and two short lateral spurs at the 

 base. Style very slender, curved against the flower-tube, 

 and passing between the halves of the anther; stigmatic 

 head projecting from between them just below the crest, 

 rounded, rather larger behind and bearing the round 

 hollowed stigma in front. Ovary three-celled, seeds in 

 two rows in each cell, axile. 



At the time of flowering the plant is almost white, 

 with at the top a number of pink very delicate bracts, 

 which spreading out are very conspicuous. A very 

 pretty plant t- 259. Wight Ic. t. 2006. 



Pykara near the river at 6,600 feet, flowering early in May. 

 Fyson 2716. 



Gen. Dist. Western Ghats, especially the south-west slopes of the 

 Nilgiris. 



Wight's specimen has large leaves, but most of those at Kew have no 

 leaves with the flower, as I found. 



In t. 259 : above flower and sect, of ovary ; below anther from in front 

 and the side, surrounding the style and stigma. 



