ZED OAR r A. 81 



The oriental synonyma of C. Zedoaria are as follows : — 

 (presuming it to be the plant mentioned by Dr. Eoxburgh on p. 23 

 of the Serampore Ed. of his " Flora Indica," and that it is the C. 

 Zedoaria also mentioned in his paper in the Asiatic Eesearches xi. 

 p. 333) :— 



Arabic — Jedwar or Zedwar (Geiduar of Avicenna). 

 Bengalee — Banhaldi (in As. lies.) ; Junglee, or Bun Huldi 



(Wild turmeric) (in Flor. Ind.). 

 Sanskrit — Xirbisha, Apavisha, Yishaha (in As. Ees.) : Yuna- 



huridra, Sholee, Vunarista, and Sholika (in Flor Ind.). 

 Hindee — Xirbisi, Xirabisi. 

 Malabar — Cuwa. 

 Malay — Tom o n. 



Eoxburgh's observations are to the effect that this beautiful 

 species is native, not only of Bengal, and common in gardens 

 about Calcutta, but is " also a native of China and various other 

 parts of Asia and the Asiatic islands." 



The roots are tuberous, biennial, and inwardly of a rather deep 

 yellow colour, approaching to that of turmeric. The stem consists 

 solely of the sheaths of the leaves, which are petioled, broad- 

 lanceolar, entire, the under surfaces being covered with a soft 

 seriaceous down, which is particularly conspicuous when the 

 leaves are dry. The scape rises distinct from the leaves during 

 the dry season, and often not only at some distance, but also 

 some time before them ; it is round, as thick as a man's forefinger, 

 a few inches in length, and embraced by its own short, proper, 

 green sheaths. The spike is from 6 to 12 inches long, covered 

 with imbricated, oblong concave bractes, connected by the lower 

 half of their margins to the backs of those immediately above, 

 forming as many pouches as there are bractes ; the lower half of 

 these are broad, shorter, scarcely tinged with red, containing three 

 or four sessile flowers which expand in succession. The corolla is 

 one-petalled, tubular at the base ; the tube being short, widening 

 a little, and shut in the mouth with fine yellow pubescent glands. 

 The border is double, presenting on the exterior three pale pink- 

 coloured, erect, oblong divisions ; the upper one more pointed and 

 incumbent over the anther and part of the two upper divisions of 

 the inner border. The interior is three-parted, fleshy, yellow ; the 

 lower lobe or lip longest, obovate, entire, projecting with a crown 

 G 



