348 scitaminEjE. [Mma. 



concave. — Tall often tree-like herbs, the convolute sheaths of their large long 

 leaves forming a stem of considerable height. Scapes protruding from the 

 centre of the leaf-sheath. Flowers clustered in the axils of large coloured 

 bracts, and forming a long drooping terminal spike or raceme. 



A tropical or subtropical Asiatic genus, only known in America where introduced. 



Of this genus the common M. sapientum, Linn., is often cultivated, and Champion ob- 

 served a species wild in the ravines of Mount Parker, but did not bring any specimen. 



2. ALPINIA, Linn. 



Outer perianth tubular or campanulate, stiff, 3 -toothed, and often splitting 

 to the base. Inner perianth petal-like, united at the base, with the stamens 

 in a tube*; the limb of 3 usually unequal lobes. Staminal whorl consisting 

 of one large petal-like labellum, opposite to a single fertile stamen, and in 

 some species a small linear lobe on each side between the labellum and sta- 

 men. Filament not dilated. Anther 2-celled. Style filiform, with a concave 

 terminal stigma. Ovaiy 3-celled, with many ovules. Fruit globular, scarcely 

 succulent, but not opening in valves. Seeds few, arillate. — Erect herbs, with 

 a tuberous rhizome. Panicles terminal, narrow and raceme-like. 



A small tropical genus, limited to the Old World except where introduced from culti- 

 vation. 



Panicle drooping, the rhachis downy. Labellum full \\ in. long, with- 

 out lateral lobes 1. A. nutans. 



Panicle erect. Flowers less than 1 in. long. A small lobe on each side 

 between the labellum and stamens. 



Flowers near 1 in. long. Labellum on a long claw 2. A. galangas. 



Flowers about 8 lines long. Labellum sessile 3. A. chinensis. 



1. A. nutans, Rose, in Linn. Trans, viii. 346 ; Rot. Mag. t. 1903 ; Wight, 

 Ic. t. 2027. Stems 4 to 6 ft. high. Leaves bifarious, broadly lanceolate, 1 

 to 3 ft. long, glabrous. Panicle raceme-like, drooping ; the rhachis and ovaries 

 softly hairy. Bracts under each flower concave, splitting longitudinally, 1 in. 

 long, of a pure white tipped with pink. Outer perianth like the bracts but 

 smaller. Inner perianth lobes pale-pink, the largest If in. long ; the 2 others 

 rather smaller. Labellum full 1\ in. long, sessile, ovate-cordate, obscurely 

 3-lobed, of a deep orange-yellow with a crimson ground, without any accessory- 

 lobes at the base. Fruit globular, 1 in. diameter. 



In ravines of Mount Victoria, Champion, Hance. In Ceylon, eastern India, the Archi- 

 pelago, and northward to the Philippines. Frequently received in tropical collections from 

 the New as well as the Old World ; but in most cases either cultivated or escaped from cul- 

 tivation. 



2. A. galangas, Sw. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i. 59. Stems nearly erect, 6 to 

 7 ft. high according to Eoxburgh. Leaves oblong or broadly lanceolate, 1 to 

 2 ft. long, with a short round ligula at the base of the blade. Panicle erect, 

 oblong, 8 to 12 in. long, slightly pubescent ; the lower branches often bear- 

 ing 5 or 6 flowers. Outer perianth tubular, 4 or 5 lines long. Inner perianth- 

 tube as long ; the lobes narrow, nearly equal, about f in. long. Labellum 

 broadly ovate, 2-lobed, contracted into a long claw, with a short lanceolate 

 lobe on each side at the base. — Galanga major, Eumph. Amb. v. 143, t. 63. 

 Languas vulgare, Keen, in Eetz. Obs. iii. 64. Alpinia alba, Eosc. in Linn. 

 Trans, viii. 346. 



