BANANA FAMILY. 411 



• Capsule i celled and \ -seeded. 



2. TIIALIA. Steniloss hoi-bs, with an elongated scape and radical lonp-stallicd leaves. 



Corolla tubular, the three exterior divisions similar and equal, the interior ones une- 

 qual (the anterior division broad and hooded, one elongated and clawed and one partly 

 adnate to the stamen and furnished with two bristles on one side). Stigma 2-lipped. 

 » » Ovary 'i-celled {rarely 2-ceUed), the cells \-ovuled. 



3. CALATIIEA. Strong-growing ornamental-leaved plants with flowers in imbricated 



br.ictoate heads or cone-like spikes or rarely in somewhat lax si)ike.s. Outer ;i .seg- 

 ments of i>enanth lanceolate, the 3 inner ones irregular and obtuse. Corolla tube often 

 slender. Staininodia present and petal-like. 



« * » Capsule Z- celled, the cells several-^ -seeded. 



4. CANNA. Mostly tall plants with showy flowers in an erect spike or raceme terminating 



the stem. Stamen a petal-like filament with the anther upon one side. 



III. BANANA SUBFAMILY troper. Not arnniatio or 

 pungent. Stamens 5 with 2-celled anthers, and an abortive 

 naked tilament. 



5. MUSA. Strong soniewluit ijalm-like plants with flowers in long nodding bracteato 



spikes or racemes. Caly.x tubular and elongated, 3-5-toothed and inclosing the small 

 corolla. Fruit fleshy and indehisccnt. 



6. 8TKELITZIA. One cultivated species, with the scape bearing at apex an oblique or 



horizontal and rigid conduplicatc spathe, from which several large and strange-looking 

 blossoms appear in succession ; the 3 outer divisions of the perianth 3'-4' long, orange- 

 yellow, one of them conduplicate and taper-pointed, and somewhat like the two larger 

 of the bright blue inner set, or true petals, which are united and cover the stamens, 

 the other petal inconspicuous. 



1. HEDYCHIUM, GARLAND FLOWER. (Greek, sv:eet and snoto, 

 referring to tliu fragrant white flowers of H. coronarium.) In green- 



hou.ses. 



H. Gardnerianum, Roscoe. Stems .S^-S"^ high ; knaves broadly lanceo- 

 late or ohliing, clasping, 2-ranked ; flowers light yellow, fragrant, in a 

 large terminal siiike. Lidia. 



H. coronarium, Koern. Plant 2"-5°, with 2-ranked, olilong, sessile 

 leaves, and large, snow-white, sweet flowers, the lip nearly 2' wide. 

 Often grown in conservatories with aquatics. E. Indies. 



2. THALIA. (J. Thalius, a German botanist, died in 1588.) 



T. dealbata, Roscoe. Plant dusted over with a white powder ; heart- 

 ovate, long-petioled leaves all from the root ; reed-like scape (;V'-r)^' high) 

 branching above into panicled erect spikes of small, nuich-bracted, purple 

 flowers. Ponds and bogs, S. Car., S. and W. 



3. CALATHEA. (Greek : a basket, alhtding either to the basket- 

 shaped stigma or to the use of the leaves in basket-making in S. Amer.) 

 The plants are generally known as Makantas. Natives of trop. Amer. 

 Following are the commonest in greenhouses. 



* Leaves marked onJij by transverse bars. 



C. zebrlna, Lindl. The oblong leaves 2 or 3 feet long, purple beneath, 

 the uj.per surface satiny and with alternating stripes of deep and pale 

 green ; flowers dull purple, inconsiiicuous, in a bracted head or spike 

 near the ground on a short scape. The commonest species. 



