146 40- ZINGIBERACEAE 



FAMILY 40. ZINGIBERACEAE 



Herbs. Stem simple, springing from a root-stock. Leaves stalked or 

 provided with a sheath, oblong or lanceolate. Flowers in spikes racemes 

 heads or panicles, more or less irregular, hermaphrodite, very rarely dioecious. 

 Perianth consisting of a calyx and a corolla. Sepals united below. Petals 

 subcqual, united below. Fertile stamen i. Anther 2-celled, opening by 

 longitudinal slits. Staminodes i — 3, petal-like, at least one of them (the lip). 

 Ovary inferior, more or less completely 3-celled. Ovules numerous. Style 

 enclosed in a groove of the filament. Stigma funnel-shaped. Fruit a capsule 

 or a berry. Seed with a straight embryo and mealy albumen. — Genera 11, 

 species 120. Tropical and South-east Africa. (Under SCITAMIN EAE.) 

 (Plate 24.) 



1. Leaves spirally arranged ; sheath at first closed^ articulated with the 



petiole. Filaments petal-like. Lateral staminodes wanting. Epigy- 

 nous glands none. Stem and leaves not aromatic. — Species 35. Central 

 Africa. Some of them are used as ornamental or medicinal plants and 

 in the preparation of rubber. (Including Cadalvena Fenzl). [Sub- 

 family COSTOIDEAE.] Costus L. 



Leaves two-ranked ; sheath split open, not articulated with the petiole. 

 Epigynous glands present, often style-like. Stem and leaves aromatic. 

 [Subfamily ZINGIBEROIDEAE.] 2 



2. Lateral staminodes petal-like, but sometimes adnate to the lip, which then 



appears 3-lobed. [Tribe HEDYCHIEAE.] 3 



Lateral staminodes linear, tooth-like, or wanting ; in the latter case lip 

 not distinctly 3-lobed. [Tribe ZINGIBEREAE.] 5 



3. Connective spurred. Lateral staminodes adnate below to the filament 



of the fertile stamen. — Species i (C. longa L.). Cultivated and 

 sometimes naturalised in the tropics. The root-stock yields starch, 

 condiments, medicaments, perfumes, and dyeing-materials (turmeric) ; 



the leaves are used for plaiting-work Curcuma L. 



Connective not spurred. Lateral staminodes free from the filament of the 

 fertile stamen 4 



4. Connective with a crest-Hke appendage. Filament short. Lateral stami- 



nodes broad. — Species 15. Central and South-east Africa. Some are 



used as ornamental plants Kaempfera L. 



Connective without an appendage. Filament long. Lateral staminodes 

 narrow. Inflorescence terminating the leafy stem. — Species 3, two of 

 them natives of Madagascar, the third naturalised in the tropics. Orna- 

 mental plants ; the tubers yield condiments, perfumes, and medicaments. 



Hedychium Koen. 



5. Connective with a distinct appendage. Flowering stem separated from the 



leafy stem 6 



Connective without a distinct appendage .8 



