Liberia ^ 



the seed of a species of Amomuni, now called AframomuM 

 melegueta, a plant distantly related to the banana, and belonging 

 to the Zingiberaceous (Ginger) order. This Amomum is a 

 most famUiar object all through the forest region of West 

 Africa, and it, or similar species of the same genus, extends right 

 across Africa to the East Coast, wherever the rainfall is sufficient. 



The leaves are long and light glossy green, and the fronds 

 rise on long stalks from horizontal-growing roots. The flowers 

 grow quite close to the ground, also striking upwards from the 

 concealed horizontal roots, in such a way that they seem to be 

 quite independent of the leaves, and might be thought to be 

 growing like crocuses, which, indeed, in a far-ofF way they much 

 resemble. The flowers are white, tinged with pink and lemon 

 yellow. Some varieties tend towards pale mauve in colour. 

 They are succeeded by a flattish, oblong fruit which is 

 yellow, russet, or scarlet when ripe. It is as much as five 

 inches long. Inside this brightly coloured rind is a sweet white 

 pulp, in which are embedded the very aromatic seeds. It is 

 said that the gorilla is particularly fond of Amomum fruits on 

 account of their sweet pulp. The seeds, which are larger than 

 very large hemp seeds, are shiny dark brown outwardly, with 

 a white kernel. This kernel is intensely aromatic and hot to 

 the taste, but is much too " spicy " to suit the European 

 palate at the present day. 



These grains of Paradise created a kind of rage in Europe 

 from the tenth to the eighteenth century, and formed the founda- 

 tion of most spices and the flavouring of drinks and viands. 

 Queen Elizabeth was passionately fond of their taste, and in the 

 early part of the eighteenth century the use of this spice in British- 

 brewed beer became so excessive that in the reign of George III. 

 an Act of Parliament ^ was passed to forbid the use of 



' 56 Georgii III. cap 38. 



58 



