157. CANNACE^E. [1. Canna. 



5. A. malaccensis, Rose. 



Stems stout, 6 ft. or more. Leaves often 3-4-5 ft. long by 6-8-5" 

 broad, narrowly oblong, narrowed and one-sided at the base, with a 

 villous cusp at apex, someAvhat hairj- or pubescent, especially on the 

 midrib beneath, and with a densely villous marginal vein. Petiole 

 2". Ligule rounded, ciliate. Inflorescence racemose supported when 

 young by about 3 large caducous lanceolate thinly hairy bracts 6-8" 

 long. Raceme 9-12" many-flowered with fulvous-hairy rhachis. 

 Pedicels -25", hairy and pubescent. Buds a beautiful waxy white 

 enclosed in a large Avhite petaloid convolute bract 1-5" long. Flowers 

 2-2 • 25" long and 1 • 5" broad with base of hypanthium (round the 

 ovary) densely pubescent and with stiff hairs. Petals over 1", white. 

 Lip 2" {Roxburgh says when expanded 3" broad and 2 - 75" long ; no 

 doubt a more robust specimen), sides inrolled and margins crisped, 

 apex somewhat produced and deei^ly emarginate, colour j^ellow with 

 the centre variegated a deep red and j'ellow, base with 2 ascending 

 horn-like glands. Capsule globose, yellow, • 75-1" diam., hairy. 

 Roxb. says 3-valved (but I have not seen it dehiscent). Seeds many. 



This occiu's usually in damp forests, not in savannahs. Frequent in Tarai and 

 Duars ! Purneah, probably. Mais of Pari ! Fl. Apiil-ilay. 



6. A. bracteata, Roxb. 



Very stout leafy herb with inclined stems and erect raceme. It much resembles 

 the last, but the brittle bracts enclosing the buds are greenish to red. 

 It occurs in the Duars but has not yet been noticed in our area. 



FAM. 157. CANNACE^. 



Perennial rhizomatous herbs with large penninerved leaves and 

 usually brilliantly coloured asymmetric flowers in spikes or panicled 

 cymes. Calyx of 3 free sepals. Corolla with 3 perianth segments 

 connate at base. Androecium consisting of a variable number of 

 members, 1-5, partly adnate to the corolla tube. One of these 

 is fertile bearing a single marginal anther-cell, the rest of the 

 stamen being petaloid. Opposed to the fertile stamen is a recurved 

 petaloid staminoda (labellum) which is homologous with the cucullate 

 staminode of the Marantacece ; the other 2-3 petaloid staminodes 

 (lateral staminodes) are usually erect. Style adnate at the base to 

 the staminal tube, then broad and flattened, somewhat curved ; 

 stigma small, terminal and oblicjue. Ovary 3 -celled with 2 roAvs of 

 anatropous ovules in each cell. Fruit capsular, 3 -celled, papillose, 

 tubercled or echinate. Seeds several, globose. Embryo straight, 

 surrounded by perisperm. 



1. CANNA, L. (The only genus). 

 1. C. indica, L. Indian Shot. 



Var. orientalis, Eosc, common in damp waste places, especially near villages. 

 FL, Fr. r.s. The rest of the genus is American, and various varieties are largely 

 grown in Indian gardens. 



Height 3—4 ft. L. 12-20". Fls. deep red with greenish petals 1" long and 

 much longer than the tube. Outer staminodes 3 oblanceolate emarginate, lip 



1147 



