9. Alpinia.J 156. ZINGIBERACEM. 



1. A. allughas. Rose. Taro, Vern. ; Elephant Grass. 



A gregarious herb 4-6 ft. high with somewhat compressed stems 

 and distichous oblong glabrous leaves, larger 20" by 3-5" (12-18" by 

 3-6", F.B.I.), with a short sharp acumination or cusp (a fine twisted 

 point, Roxb.), base contracted into a short petiole • 3-- 4" long ; sheath 

 glabrous, minutely striate and lacunose ; ligule • 15", obtuse, shortly 

 pubescent. Flowers rather small, pink, in slender but very compound 

 pubescent or somewhat tomentose panicles 8-12" long with small 

 ovate amplexicaul persistent bracts. Calyx pubescent, -3- -5". 

 Petals linear-oblong, greenish-white, -3- -5". Lip cuneate, pink, 2-fid 

 or emarginate Avith 2 linear-subulate glands at the base, strongly 

 2 -veined with a deeper pink, clawed. Anther pinkish, cleft. Capsule 

 usually globose, • 5" diam., black, but sometimes (in our Purneah plant, 

 which is apparently this) ellipsoid, • 6- • 7" long, irregularly transversely 

 breaking up, at first dull red, finally black, beaked by the calyx- 

 tube. Seeds 4-6 in each cell irregularly globose, enclosed in a white 

 pithy flesh. 



This appears to be the commonest of the Alpinias in wet places m the open, 

 often forming a dense jungle in the Tarai and Duars, and common in Purneah ! 

 Fl. May- June. Fr. Nov.-Dec. 



2. A. galanga, 8w. Taro, the vernacular name for all the genus. 



A very large herb growing mixed Avith other Alpinias, 6-7 ft. high, 

 with oblong-lanceolate glabrous leaves 1-2 ft. by 4-6", glossy both 

 sides lowest reduced to sheaths, ligule short rounded ciliate. 

 Flowers small in close panicles 6"-l ft. long with a densely pubescent 

 rhachis and numerous short branches. Bracts small, ovate, concave. 

 Calyx greenish-Avhite, -25". Petals -3- -5", linear-oblong, greenish- 

 white. Lip clawed, • 5", obovate, emarginate, Avhite veined AA'ith lilac, 

 and AAdth reddish subulate basal glands. Stamen shorter. Fruit 

 orange-red Avith 3-5 seeds. 



Wet savannahs. Fh April-May. Frequent in the Tarai and Duars and pro- 

 bably in Purneah. Chota ]S^agpui-, Wood (but I have seen no specimen). Said 

 to be often culti\'ated. 



3. A. calcarata, Rose. 



Slender, 2-4 ft. high, Avith lanceolate leaves 6-12" by 1-2", glabrous. 

 Flowers handsome, usually 3-4 croAvded on the loAA^er branches of a 

 dense pyramidal panicle only 3-4" long Avith pubescent rhachis and 

 white boat-shaped or oblong bracts -5" long. Corolla Avhite. Lip 

 beautifully \ariegated with red and yelloAV, emarginate, 1-1-5", base 

 spurred. 



Cultivated only in our area. Fl. April-June. 



4. A. speciosa, Schumann. Syn. A. nutans, Roscoe. 



Height 8-10 ft. Avith oblong-lanceolate leaves 1-2 ft. by 3-6", finely 

 pubescent beneath. FloA\ers handsome in slightly compound cernuous 

 panicles 6-12" long Avith very hairy rhachis, bracts 1" long or more. 

 Lip ovate 1 • 5" long and broad, beautifully variegated with red and 

 yellow, margins much incurved, not variegated, base spurred. Capsule 

 red globose. 



Wild in the Duars and eastAvards. Only cultivated in our area. Fl. r.s. 



1146 



