1. Globba.] 156. ZINGIBER ACE. ^. 



Lip obovate as long as the reflexed petals, shallowly 2-lobed. Capsule 

 verrucose. Seeds tomentose. 



Chota IN'agpiir, frequent (if all the specimens so assigned to it in the Cal. Herb. 

 are correctly named, but several are now indeterminable) ! Rajmahal Hills, 

 Kurz ! Probably Orissa (Northern Circars is the country of origin of the type). 

 Fl. r.s. 



Schumann described the corolla-lobes as lanceolate. The species is very close 

 to racemosa and many plants appear to show intermediate characters. 



3. G. ophioglossa, Wight. 



Leaves pubescent beneath, similar in shape to the last two. Panicles 

 with the lower branches bearing 4-6 flowers, the lowest often bulbi- 

 ferous. Calyx • 12" long. Corolla pale-yellow^ with the tube three 

 times the calyx, lobes ovate acute. Lip twice the length of the 

 corolla, deeply 2-fid to about three-quarters the way down, segments 

 very narrow. Capsule smooth. 



Chota Nagpur, Cal. Herb. ; but I do not think that the specimens (two only) 

 so named are either of them Wight's plant and are probably racemosa. 



The above is a description of AVight's plant, not of the Calcutta Herbarmm 

 specimens. 



4. G. bulbifera, Roxb. 



A more slender plant than G. racemosa, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves much 

 smaller 3-5" by 1" to 4-5" by 2" or 6 by 2", lanceolate to elliptic ending 

 in a long straight or slightly twisted tail, shortly pubescent beneath. 

 Flowers yellow in the axils of large folded sub-persistent bracts -G" 

 long in simple spikes 2-4" long, the lower (sometimes all) bracts usually 

 bearing a solitary bulbil in place of a flow^er. Fls. 1-1 • 2" long including 

 the stamen. Filament strongly arched as in the others, anther with 



2 large spreading lateral wings cut nearly to the base into 2 triangular 

 segments, larger • 15" long. 



Common in shady places, damp banks, etc., in the forests. Throughout Chota 

 Nagpur ! Has often been collected on Parasnath. Fl. Aug.-Oct. 



Stems often inclined with spreading distichous leaves, the lowest sheath often 

 purple. Bracts (when opened) rhomboid-ovate with broad base and very acute tip. 

 Bulbils erect, globose-oblong, -15" long. Petals and staminodes reflexed. Dorsal 

 petal boat-shaped -25", lateral similar, rather smaller. Lat. staminodes petaloid 

 oblong, -45". Lip dependent from the column, -35" long, oblong but gradually 

 wider towards tip (oblong-trapezoid) with 2 oblique lobes and base 2-clawed. 

 Ovary often 3-locular at base. Capsule rugose. Seeds globose, pale-brown, 

 pubescent, seated on a cupular-lobed aril. 



2. CURCUMA, L. 



Herbs with rhizomatous and tuberous roots and usually with 

 accessory tubers developed at the ends of long fleshy roots. Stem, 

 if any, composed of the convolute leaf-sheaths. Leaves usually 

 elliptic or oblong and often very large. Flowers in dense bracteate 

 spikes with the peduncle clothed with appressed bracts and spike 

 terminating in a crown of barren coloured bracts (coma), floriferous 

 bracts adnate in their lower part and enclosing several flowers opening 

 in succession, each with its proper membranous bract wrapped round 

 the ovary and short cylindrical, usually minutely toothed calyx. 

 Corolla-tube narrow and terete below, ventricose above, bearing 



3 petals, of which the median is larger and hooded. Lateral staminodes 

 petaloid, broad, connate with the short broad filament, anther 



1130 



