v 
HY DROCHARIDACEZ,.— ZINGIBERACEX. 633 
Order 1. Hyprocusrimace®, the Hydrocharis or Frog-bit 
Order.— Character.—Aquatic plants. Flowers spathaceous, 
regular, unisexual or polygamous. Perianth superior, in 1 or 2 
whorls, each composed of 5 pieces, the inner petaloid. Stamens 
few or numerous. Ovary inferior, usually 1—6-celled ; placen- 
tation parietal. Fruit indehiscent. Seeds numerous, exalbu- 
minous. 
Distribution, Numbers, and Properties.—Inhabitants of fresh 
water in Europe, North America, East Indies, and New Holland. 
Illustrative Genera :—Anacharis, Rich.; Vallisneria, Mich. There 
are about 25 species. Their properties are unimportant. 
Cohort 2. Amomales.—Flowers usually hermaphrodite and very 
irregular (regular in Bromeliacez). Perianth inferior, ex- 
cept in some Bromeliacez. Stamens 6,1 or 5 with anthers, 
the rest petaloid, or all antheriferous in Bromeliacez. 
. Ovary usually 3-celled, with axile placentation. Fruit baccate 
or capsular. Seeds with farinaceous albumen ; embryo dis- 
tinct. Leaves usually large and pinnately-veined. 
Order 1. ZINGIBERACEZ or SciTaMINAcE#, the Ginger Order. 
—C haracter.—Aromatic herbs, with creeping rhizomes, and 
broad simple, stalked, sheathing leaves, with parallel curved 
veins springing from the midrib. Flowers arranged in a spiked 
or racemose manner, and arising from among spathaceous mem- 
branous bracts. Perianth superior, irregular, each whorl con- 
sisting of 3 pieces. Stamens 6, in 2 whorls, all abortive except 
the posterior one of the inner whorl; anther 2-celled ; filament 
not petaloid. Ovary inferior, 3-celled; placentas axile; style 
filiform. Fruit 1—3-celled, capsular or baccate. Seeds numerous, 
albuminous ; embryo enclosed in a vitellus. 
By Bentham and Hooker the two succeeding orders, Marantacez 
and Musacex, are included in Zingiberacee. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Chiefly natives of tropical 
regions. Illustrative Genera:—Zingiber, Gértn.; Curcuma, 
Linn.; Elettaria, Rheed. There are about 250 species. 
Properties and Uses.—They are principally remarkable for the 
stimulant aromatic properties possessed by their rhizomes and 
seeds, owing to the presence of resins and volatile oils; hence 
several are used as condiments, and in medicine as aromatic 
stimulants and stomachics. Some contain starch in large quan- 
tities, which when extracted is employed for food. 
Alpinia.—The rhizome known as the greater or Java Galangal root is 
derived from A. Galanga, Willd.,a native of Java. The lesser or Chinese 
Galangal has been traced by Hance to a new species, which he has termed 
A. officinarum. The lesser Galangal is now the only kind known in Euro- 
pean commerce. It is not used in this country ; but principally in Russia, 
where it is employed for flavouring the liqueur called nastotka, and vinegar ; 
