MABANTACE^E OR CANNACE.E. 519 



1. Amomum Cardamomum, a Java plant, supplies the round Cardamoms. 



2. A. angustifolium furnishes the large Madagascar Cardamoms, and also 



supplies some of the seeds called Grains of Paradise. 



3. A. maximum produces the Java Cardamoms of the London market. 



4. A. repens (Renealmia or Elettaria Cardamomum) is the source Malabar of 



Cardamoms. 



5. Elettaria major is said to yield Ceylon Cardamoms. 



The seeds of these plants are used as aromatic tonics and carminatives. 

 Their active ingredient is a pungent volatile oil. Grains of Paradise 

 are the seeds of Amomum Melegueta, Melegueta Pepper, and have the 

 same properties as Cardamoms. East Indian Arrow-root is procured 

 in part from Curcuma angustifolia, and a similar kind of starch is 

 yielded by Curcuma Zerumbet, C. leucorhiza, and Alpinia Galanga. 



1061. Order 187. inarantaceie or Cannaceze, the Arrow-root 

 Family. (Mono-epigyn.) Perianth superior, in 2 whorls ; outer 

 (calyx) 3-lobed, short; inner (corolla) tubular, elongated, 3-parted, 

 segments nearly equal. Stamens in 2 whorls ; outer sterile, petaloid, 

 irregular, resembling a tubular trifid corolla, with one of the lateral 

 segments different from the others ; inner petaloid, 2 sterile, and 1 

 lateral fertile; filament of the latter petaloid, entire, or2-lobed; an- 

 ther on the margin of the filament, 1 -celled, dehiscing longitudinally. 

 Ovary 3-celled, rarely 1-celled; ovules solitary and erect, or numer- 

 ous and attached to the axis; style petaloid or swollen; stigma either 

 the naked apex of the style, or hollow, hooded, and incurved. Fruit 

 a 3-celled capsule, or baccate, 1-celled and 1 -seeded. Seeds round, 

 without arillus; embryo straight, in hard, somewhat floury albumen, 

 without a vitellus; radicle lying against the hilum (fig. 527). Herba- 

 ceous plants, with tuberous rhizomes, and leaves and flowers similar 

 to those of the Ginger Family. They are natives of tropical regions. 

 Lindley enumerates 6 genera, including 160 species. Examples 

 Maranta, Canna, Phrynium. 



1062. The plants of the order contain much starch in the rhizomes 

 and roots. They are destitute of aroma. Arrow-root is the produce 

 of the tuberous rhizomata of Maranta arundinacea and M. indica. 

 The best West Indian arrow-root comes from Bermuda. Its globules 

 are much smaller and less glistening than those of tous-les-mois or 

 potato starch. Amylaceous matter of a similar kind is produced from 

 other species of Maranta, as well as from species of Canna. Tous-les- 

 mois is the produce of Canna coccinea, C. Achiras, C. edulis, &c. 

 The seeds of Cannas are round and black, and are commonly known 

 under the name of Indian shot. They have been used as a substitute 

 for coffee. Calathea zebrina, Zebra plant, is so called from the peculiar 

 variegation of its leaves, which have a velvety aspect. Barneoud states 

 that the two outer verticils of the flowers in Cannas are always 

 developed, one after the other, precisely like the calyx and corolla; 



