PETALOIDE^. 671 



2 lateral atortire, and the posterior one perfect ; antlier 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 xitellus. 



Distribution, ^-c. — Chiefly natives of tropical regions, Fx- 

 amples of the Genera: — Zingiber, Curcuma, Elettaria, Alpinia. 

 There are about 250 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Chiefly remarkable for the stimulant 

 aromatic properties possessed by their rhizomes and seeds, o"wing 

 to the presence of resin and volatile oil, hence several are used 

 as condiments, and in medicine as aromatic stimulants and sto- 

 machics. Some contain starch in large quantities, which when 

 separated is employed for food. 



Alpinia.— The root or rhizome, known as the greater or Java Galangal root, 

 appears to be derived from A. Galanga of Linnjeiis ; that called the lesser or 

 Chinese Galangal, from A. chinensis. The source of the light Galangal ot 

 Guibourt is altogether unknown. The Galangals have similar properties 

 to Ginger. The ovoid China Cardamom is the fruit of A. alba ; its seeds are 

 used as a condiment in China. 



^7no»H/m.— Several species of this genus have aromatic and stimulant 

 seeds, which are used as spices, and in medicine in various parts of the 

 world. The only species which is much used in this country is the A. mele- 

 gueta, which yields the Grains of Paradise of the shops. It is a native of the 

 "Western Coast of Afiica. These seeds are much employed in Africa as a 

 spice. The common notion that they are veiy injirrious is erroneous. They 

 are principally employed in this country in veterinary medicine, and for 

 giving pungency to beer, wine, spirits, and vinegar. A. Cardamomum yields 

 the fruit known as the round cardamom. The fruits of A. maximum con- 

 stitute Java Cardamoms; those of A. Korarima Korarima Cardamoms ; 

 and those of A. glohosum the large round and the small round China 

 Cardamoms. The latter are much employed in China. Many other species 

 have similar properties. 



Curcuma. — C. longa. — Thedried tubers or rhizomes of this plant constitute 

 the turmeric of the shops. Turmeric is used as a condiment, as a test, and 

 for dyeing yellow. It is largely employed in India, China, &c. It forms an 

 ingredient in Curry Powder, &c. Unsized white paper steeped in Tincture 

 of Tunneric, when dried, is employed as a test to detect free alkalies, which 

 change its colour from yellow to reddish-brown. C. angustifolia : the rhi- 

 zomes of this species contain a large quantity of starch, which when 

 extracted foiTos East Indian Arrovrroot or Curcuma Starch, This kind of 

 arro-^vroot may be also obtained from other species of Curcuma, as C. 

 leucorrhiza, C. ruhescens. &c. In its effects and uses it resembles "West 

 Indian Arro-nToot or Maranta Starch. (See J/«?-««ta.) But it is not so 

 pure a starch as it. C. aromatica yields the Round Zedoary of pharmaco- 

 logists. C. Zedoaria is supposed to yield the so-caUed Cassumimar roots, 

 the Long Zedoary, and the Zerumbet roots of commerce ; they all possess 

 aromatic and tonic properties. Archer believes that Zerumbet and Cassu- 

 munar are derived from C. Zerumbet. (See Zingiber.) 



Elettaria. — E. Cardamomum. a native of Malabar, yields the capsules which 

 constitute the officinal, small, or Malabar Cardamoms ; the seeds are in 

 common use in medicine in this country on account of their cordial and 

 .stimulating properties, and as flavom-ing agents. E. major yields Ceylon 

 Cardamoms, which are much employed on the Continent ; their uses and 

 effects are similar, but they are of less value than the former. 



Zingiber. — Z. officinale, the Ginger Plant. — The so-called Ginger-root or 

 Ginger of the shops is the rhizome of this species. The rhizomes when very 

 young, or the young shoots of the old rhizomes, are used for preserving, and 

 form in this state Preserved Ginger. The Ginger of the shops is foimd in 



