2. Curcuma.] 156. ZINGIBEBACE.^. 



1-3", the free part about two-thirds the Avhole length, tip rounded. 

 Coma small with only 5-9 oblong, usually deep magenta glabrous or 

 minutely pubescent bracts. Flow^ers far-exserted (for -5- -7"), 1*5" 

 long. Ovary villous, calyx • 6", puberulous, colourless with 3 rounded 

 lobes, deeply split dorsally. Petals oblong ; dorsal a little longer, 

 somewhat pubescent, the shortly hooded tip not apiculate, but some- 

 what acute. Lip longer than the petals, yellow, rounded deeply 

 2-fid or emarginate. Sometimes the flowers are a handsome reddish 

 yellow in all parts. Lateral staminodes yellow, free portion -5" long, 

 oblong, slightly exceeding the petals. Anther puberulous reclinate 

 with long basal spurs and short basal knobs. 



A common forest species though only collected from our area in the 

 forests of Chota Nagpur ! Fl. May and leaves appear in June, but Roxburgh 

 says that his specimens did not flower till July in Calcutta. 



Bulb short sub-erect with conical tip, pale yellow inside with an outer whitish 

 zone, rhizome not further developed. 



Special bracts (as in all the species) membranous, puberulous. The plant is 

 not very aromatic. 



Arrowroot is prepared from the tubers. 



2. C. sulcata, Haines (Kew Bulletin, No. 3, 1923). 



Habit of C. angustifolia. Leaves elliptic or elliptic-oblong, green 

 above, pale beneath (with microscopic white dots), plicate, 8" by 3-5" 

 to 15" by 6-5", inequilateral at the base, caudate tip -5- -75" long 

 and later petioles up to 8", green or reddish. Spike lateral in spring, 

 central in summer, 3 • 5-6" long, shortly peduncled. Flowering bracts 

 1-1-5" long, free for -5- -75", reddish or green yviih brown or at the 

 apex purple. Bracts of the coma narrowly oblong, very parallel- 

 sided with rounded tip which is reddish-purple or violet, obscurely 

 puberulous. Flowers exserted -5- -75" from the bracts. Ovary 

 hirsute. Calyx -3", pink, shortly obtusely toothed. Corolla-tube 

 slender and white for -5", then limb 1" ventricose, split half-Avay down 

 into two anterior oblong rounded petals and a posterior hooded 

 mucronate petal, ahvaj'^s tinged, sometimes deeply, with a brownish 

 red. Lateral staminodes faintly tinged pink or red or a beautiful 

 red-broAvn, exceeding corolla, oblong slightly broader upwards, 

 entire, rounded, -3" broad. Lip as long, with erect sides, apex 

 sudden!}' contracted to a short split umbo, sides same colour as stami- 

 nodes, centre longitudinally deep yellow. Anther and filament 

 dorsally pubei'ulous. 



This is found on high hills of the Central Provinces, and possibly in Chota Jfagpur ; 

 the plant recorded under C. rubescens may be the same. Fl. May-Aug. Leaves 

 appear June, fully developed July-Aug. 



Bulb (rhizome ?) pale yellow 'within 2-4" long, somewhat aromatic. Tubers 

 turbinate or cyhndric 1-5-3" by 1". 



3. C. rubescens, Roxb. 



Roxburgh appears to distinguish thi- ^rom C. angustifolia by the 

 shape of the bulb and tubers, the broader leaves and the colouring. 

 The following is Roxburgh's account : 



*' Bulbs ovate-lanceolate and with the palmate tubers (rhizome) 

 inwardly pearl-coloured. Leaves broad lanceolate, on red winged 

 petioles above the sheaths, rib red. Scape and scales red. Fls. 



1132 



