22 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



name). GINGER FAMILY. Fig. 12. Herbs with creeping 

 or tuberous rhizomes, rarely with fibrous roots: leaves 

 basal or cauline, alternate, sheathing; blade with ligule 

 at top of petiole, linear or elliptic, the pinnately 

 parallel veins strongly ascending: flowers bisexual, 

 irregular, epigynous; perianth of 6 parts, in 2 series, 

 differentiated into a tubular 3-toothed or spathiform 

 somewhat herbaceous calyx, and a tubular unequally 

 3-lobed corolla; 1 stamen only is fertile, opposite this is 

 a large petaloid staminodium, and there are sometimes 

 other smaller ones; ovary inferior, 3-celled, rarely 1- 

 celled; ovules many in each cell; style 1; stigma usually 

 1: fruit a capsule; seed with large perisperm, small 

 endosperm, and straight embryo. 



There are 24 genera and about 270 species, distributed 

 in the tropical regions of the eastern hemisphere. Only 

 2 genera are in America. The largest genera are Amo- 

 inuiii, with 50 species, and Alpinia, with 40 species. 

 The family is related to the Musacese, Marantacece 

 and Cannacea, but differs in the ligule, the aromatic oil, 

 the sharp differentiation of the perianth, the single 

 stamen, and the large single staminodium. 



To the spicy aromatic flavor of the rhizomes and 

 fruits the family owes its useful qualities. Ginger is 

 from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale, cultivated from 

 India. Cardamon fruits are from Eleltaria Cardamo- 

 mum of farther India. Curcuma or turmeric is from 

 the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, cultivated from south- 

 east Asia. This is used in medicine, and for flavor- 

 ing pickles. In it is a yellow dye. The seeds of Amo- 

 mum Melegueia of west Africa are the grains of para- 



13. CAXNACE*: 1. Canna, a, flower; 6, floral diagram. 

 MAHANTACE.E: 2. Maranta, a, flower, pistil removed; 6, floral 

 diagram. OROHIDACE*: 3. Lycaste, a, flower; 6, column, front 

 view; c, pollinia and gland; d, floral diagram. 4. Cypripedium, 

 a, flower; b, column, under side; c, column, side view; d, floral dia- 

 gram, (el., fertile stamen; tier., sterilo stameii; stig., stigma; a, 

 gland; p., pistil). 



dise of commerce. Galangal, used in perfumery, is the 

 rootstock of Alpinia Galanga of the East Indies. 



Several genera are in cultivation in America, mostly 

 grown for ornamental purposes in greenhouses and 

 principally in the South. Among these are: Alpinia 

 (Shell Flower); Amomum; Curcuma (Curcuma, Tur- 

 meric); Elettaria (commercial Cardamon seeds); He- 

 dychium (Butterfly Lily, Ginger Lily, Garland Lily;; 

 Ksempferia; Zingiber (Ginger). 



44. Cannaceae (from the genus Canna, the origin of 

 the name not clear). CANNA FAMILY. Fig. 13. Similar 

 to the Marantaceae in all but the following structural 

 details: no joint nor ligule at summit of petiole; ovules 

 many in each cell of the ovary; embryo straight. 



This family contains a single genus and 25-50 species 

 of tropical and subtropical America'. 



The starchy rhizome of C. edulis is grown and eaten 

 in the West Indies and Australia. The arrowroot 

 starch of the English and French is derived from C. 

 coccinea of the West Indies and South America. The 

 cannas are popular ornamental garden plants. 



45. Marantaceae (from the genus Maranta, named 

 for Maranti, a Venetian botanist and physician of the 

 16th century). ARROWROOT FAMILY. Fig. 13. Herbs with 

 rhizomes: leaves mostly basal, with an articulation at 

 the summit of the petiole; blade linear to oval, pinnately 

 parallel-veined: inflorescence usually surrounded by 

 spathe-like bracts; flowers bisexual, irregular, epigynous; 

 perianth of 6 parts, plainly differentiated into calyx and 

 corolla, the latter somewhat irregular; one stamen of the 

 inner set fertile, petaloid, with lateral anther, the two 

 others of the inner whorl transformed into enlarged 

 staminodia; usually 1 or 2 of the outer whorl also 

 present as petaloid staminodia; ovary inferior, 3-celled, 

 rarely 1-2-celled; ovule 1 in each cell; style flat and 

 twisted or lobed: fruit a capsule or berry; seeds with 

 perisperm, and aril; embryo curved. 



Marantaceae has 12 genera and about 100 species, of 

 damp situations in the tropics, mostly American. The 

 largest genus is Calathea with 60 species. The family 

 is related to the Cannaceao, Zingiberacea-, and Musa- 

 cese. The joint at the summit of the petiole, the type 

 of stamen-irregularity, the 1-seeded cells of the ovary, 

 and the curved embryo are distinctive. 



The rhizome of Maranta arundinacea is cultivated in 

 tropical America, and furnishes the maranta arrowroot of 

 commerce; rhizomes of some other species are eaten. 

 Many species are ornamental, mostly for conservatory. 



Five or 6 genera are in cultivation in America, as 

 Calathea (Rattlesnake Plant); Maranta; Phrynium; 

 Stromanthe; Thalia. 



Order 21. MICROSPERM.* 



46. Orchidaceae (from the genus Orchis, an ancient 

 name of these plants). ORCHID FAMILY, tig. 13. Her- 

 baceous plants of very diverse habit and structure; ter- 

 restrial, epiphytic or saprophytic, sometimes climbing; 

 the terrestrial with fibrous roots or with thickened tuber- 

 like roots, the epiphytic often with the base of the leaf 

 and adjoining stem swollen, forming a pseudobulb; the 

 saprophytic without chlorophyll ; the epiphytic often with 

 aerial hanging roots ate provided with a water-absorb- 

 ing layer (velamen) : leaves alternate, succulent, coria- 

 ceous or membranous, linear to oval: flowers bisexual, 

 rarely unisexual, irregular, epigynous; perianth of G 

 parts, in 2 series, usually all petaloid; one petal larger, 

 forming the lip (labeUum) ; stamens originally 6, but all 

 except 1 or 2 wanting, or reduced to staminodia, united 

 with the pistil; pollen-grains compound, granular, or 

 aggregated into masses (pollinia) which are cither free 

 in the anther or attached by a stalk to a viscid apical or 

 stigmatic gland; carpels 3; ovary inferior, 1- or 3-cclled; 

 ovules very numerous; style united with tbe stamens to 

 form the column; stigma in the front of the column, or 

 on a projecting lobe: fruit a capsule; seeds very minute. 



