CLASSIFICATION. 



obsolete, filaments usually with Long coloured hairs. Ovary 

 stoperior 3-celled, or 1 cell reduced or absent. Ovules few in 



each cell, orthotropous. 90. Commelinaceae (p. 53 4), 



90. The Spider-wort Family. 



Otoer III.— Scitaminere. 



Usually tuberous-based herbs with erect simple leaves or 

 leaves spreading from a short stem, rarely sub-arboreous as 

 in the Plantain (Muea). Pseudo-stem often made up of 

 convolute leaf sheaths. Flowers zygomorphic or irregular, 

 sepals and petals often dissimilar. Calyx often spathaceous 

 and one or more of the stamens converted into staminodes 

 or suppressed. Ovary 1-3-celled, inferior. 



91. The Plantain or Banana Family. 



Pseudo-stem very stout, short or tall. L. very large with 

 horizontal close sec. nerves. Fls. 1 -sexual in the axils of 

 large often coloured bracts. Calyx spathaceous. Corolla 

 wrapped round the stamens and pistil. Stamens 5 perfect. 



91. Musacese (p. 536). 



92. The Ginger Family. 



Stem leafy or leaves radical. Fls. in the axils of green or 

 coloured bracts. Calyx spathaceous. Fls. zygomorphic. Cor- 

 tube with 3 petals. Outer whorl of stamens reduced to 2 

 lateral staminodes or absent, inner whorl of 1 perfect dorsal 

 stamen and two petaloid staminodes connate into a lip. 



92. Zingiberaceae (p. 537). 



93. The Arrowroot Family. 



Stem usually developed, sometimes with only one large 

 leaf. Fls. very irregular. Calyx with free or slightly coher- 

 ing sepals. Outer whorl of stamens reduced to 1 or 2 stami- 

 nodes, inner whorl of a single stamen with only 1 anther-lobe 

 perfect, and adnate to the petaloid expansion of the other lobe, 



91 



