728 cxxTi. scitamine.t;, 



1. Hitchenia caulina, Bal-er, in IIoolc f. Fl. B. 1. v. 6 (1890) 

 p. 224. Khizome with many ellipsoid tubei-s hanging to the fibres, the 

 tubers white inside ; stem leafy, 3-4 ft. high. Leaves 12-20 by 3-6 in., 

 oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed at the base, waved, strongly 

 nerved, with sheathing petioles. Flowers yellow or white, in terminal 

 spikes 5-9 in. long and reaching 2| in. in diara. ; bracts 1-lj in. long, 

 green or greenish-white, sometimes tinged with red, obovate-cuneate, 

 those of the coma white or occasionally pink, all united together by their 

 backs and edges. Calyx thinly membranous, tubular, 3-fid. Corolia- 

 tube 1| in. long, slender ; lobes thinly membranous, one larger than the 

 other two, the large one ovate-oblong, shortly acuminate, the 2 smaller 

 liuear-oblong. Lateral staminodes petaloid, | in. long. Lip ^ in. in 

 diam., 2-fid, with a yellow band at the division. Anther-cells oblong, 

 spuri'ed at the base. Ovary 3-celled ; style hidden between the cells of 

 the anther; stigma 2-lipped, funnel-shaped, ciliate at the top, j)rojecting 

 beyond the anther. Seeds ovoid, with a lacerate aril. Woodr. in Journ. 

 Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 520 ; K. Schinn. in Engler, Pilanzenreicb, 

 v. 4, part 46 (1904) p. 97. Curcuma caulina. Grab. Cat. PI. Bo. (1839) 

 p. 210 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 275 ; Watt, Diet. Ecou. Prod. v. 2, p. 658.— 

 Plowers : Aug. -Oct. Vern. Clidvar. 



Deccan : Mahableshwar, abundant, Graham, Bahell i^- Gihson, Coo/lc\, Woodrou'l, 

 H. M. Birdwood; Khandala, Cooke \; Pancbgani, Woodrow. — Dibtrib. India (W. 

 Peninsula). 



Known to Anglo-Indians at Mahableshwar as the Arrowfoof Plant. Arrowroot was 

 at one time extracted from the tubers by the Chinese gardeners on the hill. See Watt, 

 Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. e. 



4. HEDYCHIUM, Koenig. 



Herbs with perennial tuberous rootstocks ; root-fibres hardl}'^ thickened; 

 stem elongate, leafy. Leaves distichous, oblong or lanceolate. Flowers 

 usually in terminal spikes ; bracts oblong, subcoriaceous, 1- or more- 

 flowered. Calyx tubular, 3-t('othed. Corolla-tube long, slender ; lobes 

 equal, linear, spreading. Perfect stamen 1 ; lateral staminodes linear 

 or cuneate-oblong. Lip large, 2-fid. Ovary 3-celled ; ovules many, 

 superposed on axile placentas ; style long, filiform ; stigma subglobose. 

 Fruit a globose 3-valved capsule. Seeds many, small, with a lacerate 

 aril. — DisTBiB. Species 38, chiefly Indian and Malayan. 



1. Hedychium coronarium, Komig, in Rdz. Ohs. Bof. fasc. 3 

 (1783) p. 73. Stem 3-5 ft. high, erect; rootstoek stout, horizontal, 

 ^-2 in. in diam., fleshy, jcjinted. Leaves sessile, 9-14 by I4-2I in., 

 lanceolate, finely acuminate, glabrous above, glabrous or sparsely pubescent 

 beneath and on the midrib, base narro^^■ed ; sheath smooth ; ligule 

 ^-^l in. long, membranous. Flowers fragrant, pure white, in dense 

 oblong s])ikes 4-8 in. long ; bracts cloj^ely imbricate, 3-4-flowered, the 

 outer 1^-2 by 1 in., at first green, becoming brown by age, ovate, obtuse; 

 bracteoles 3, membranous. Calyx 1-1 1 in. long, cylindric, green, shorter 

 than tlie bracts. Corolla-tube 3 in. long ; segments linear, half as long 

 as the tube, reflexed. Lateral staminodes l|-2 by ^ in., oblong-lanceo- 

 late, subobtuse, white. Lip l|-2 in. broad, suddenly contracted into a 

 short claw, entire or 2-fid ; lobes short, rounded. Stamen l.| in. long; 

 anther about J in. long. Capsules oblong, glabrous, the valves orange- 



