” 7 , 
234 SCITAMINEG. — [ Curcuma. 
fading; sheaths of pseudostem pale-green. Calyx 3-toothed. 
Corolla-tube 3 in. long, somewhat gibbous; upper lobe erect, con-— 
‘eave, ovate, longer than the two lateral ones. Lateral staminodes 
oblong, united to the filament; the lower large, broad, spreading, 
notched ; connective produced at the base in a fork. Capsule ovoid, 
ultimately opening by 3 valves. Seeds many, small. 
Abundant in Dehra Dun and in the Sub-Himalayan tracts of Rohil- 
khand and N. Oudh. Flowering during the rains. Distris.: Outer 
ranges of Central Himalaya, also in W. Behar and N. Bengal; 
extending to Bombay and S. India. A kind of starch resembling. 
arrowroot is prepared from the tubers. 
C. tones, L. Sp. Pl. 2; Roxb. Fl. Ind. 1, 32 ; Royle Ill. 358 ; F. B. I. 
vi, 214; Duthie in Field and Gard. Crops wi, 41, t. 77; Watt 
E.D. ; Comm. Prod. Ind. 445 ; Prain Beng. Pl. 1042 ; Kanjilal For. 
Fl. (ed. 2) 405 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. wi, 732. Vern. Haldi—Turmeric. 
—A tall herb. Rootstock large, ovoid, with sessile cylindric tubers 
orange-coloured inside. Leaves very large, in tufts up to 4 ft. or 
more long, including the petiole which is about as long as the blade, 
- oblong-lanceolate, tapering to the base. Flowers in autumnal 
spikes, 4-6 in. long ; peduncle 6 in. or more, concealed by the sheath- 
ing petiole ; flowering bracts pale-green ; bracts of coma tinged with 
pink.—This plant is much cultivated throughout India chiefly for 
the yellow dye obtained from the tubers, which also used as a condi- 
ment. The plant was probably introduced originally from China, 
though having all the appearance of being wild in Behar and Ch. 
Nagpur. 
4. ZINGIBER, Adans.; Fl. Brit. Ind. vi, 243. 
Herbs with elongated leafy stems and horizontal tuberous 
rootstocks. Leaves oblong-lanceolate. Flowers in spikes, usually 
radical, less often terminal, rarely lateral on the leafy stems ; 
peduncle short or long; bracts persistent, usually 1-fid. Sepals 
3, connate in a cylindric shortly 3-lobed calyx. Petals 3, connate 
in a corolla with cylindric tube ;-lobes lanceolate, the upper con- 
cave. Stamen 1 perfect; filament short; anther 2-celled; cells 
contiguous, with a narrow crest as long as themselves; lateral 
staminodes none, or adnate to the obovate-cuneate lip. Carpels 
3, connate in a 3-celled ovary ; ovules many, superposed ; placentas 
axile ; style filiform ; stigma small, subglobose. Fruit an oblong 
capsule, tardily dehiscent. Seeds large, globose, arillate.—Species 
abeut 30 or more, in tropical regions of the Old World. _ 
