ORDER 138. SCIT AMINES. 331 



4 P. verticillata N. Stem 812', bracted at base, bearing 4 or 5 oval Ivs. in a whorl 

 at the top, with a curious flower ; sepals linear, 2 or 3 times longer than the lanceolate, 

 obtuse petals, which are about 9" long. Swamps. June, July. 



17. ARETHUSA, Gron. Fl. ringent. Sep. and pet. similar, cohering 

 at base and connivent above. Lip adnate to the column at base, recurved 

 and dilated at apex. Anthers terminal, 2-celled, with 4 pollinia. 14 Stem 

 iow, with sheathing bracts. Flowers purple, beautiful. 



A* bulbosa L. Flower single, 1 2', erect, with 2 small bracts at its base ; lip crenu- 

 late-wavy, bearded along the middle. Root a conn. Bogs. 6 12'. June. 



18. EPIDENDRUM, Swtz. TREE ORCHIS. Sep. and pet. spreading. 

 Lip united with the column forming a tube which is sometimes decurrent 

 on the ovary. Anth. terminal, opercular, 4-celled. Pollinia 4. 2 Grows 

 on the rough bark of trees. Steins many-flowered. 



E. conopseum H. K. Stems clustered, 58', each with a pair of opposite, lance- 

 linear, coriaceous leaves below, and 37 purplish fls. 6" broad. Low lands, S. Aug. 



ORDER CXXXVIII. SCITAMINE.E. GINGERWORTS. 



Tropical herbs. Leaves parallel-veined, with the veins diverging from 

 the midvein. Flowers irregular and unsyrnmetrical, with perianth 3-6- 

 parted and adherent to the 3-celled ovary. Stamens 3 6, some of them 

 abortive. Styles united. Fruit dry or fleshy. Seeds albuminous. Here 

 belong the Cinnamons, Gingers, Bananas, and Arrow-roots. 



MUSACE^E. Anthers 5, each 2-celled. Fruit many-seeded. Filaments 6... (z) 



ZINGIBEREiE. Anther 1, 2-celled. Filaments 3, not petaloid. Fruit 00 -seeded ... (y) 



MARANTEJS. Anther 1, with 1 cell. Filaments 3, petaloid. Capsules l-3-seeded...(.i) 



x Perianth of 2 unequal leaves or lips, the lower 5-toothed. Berry oblong MUSA. 1 



x Perianth of 6 very unequal leaves, with large spathes. Fruit capsular STRKLITZIA. 2 



y Perianth tube slender, lower petal lip-like. Stamens and style long-exserted.HEDYCHiUM. 3 



y Perianth short, in spikes, with large bracts. Stamens and style included ALPIMA. 4 



z Pistil petaloid, stigma 3-sided. Flowers inconspicuous. Leaves colored MARAXTA. 5 



z Pistil petaloid, stigma flat, linear. Flowers red, showy. Caps. 3-seeded CANNA. 6 



:: Pistil short, twisted, with a large gaping stigma. Fls. small. Caps. 1 -seeded THALIA. 7 



1. MUSA SAPIENTUM. BANANA. Scape 7 20f, sheathed below by the 

 etalks of the majestic leaves, the summit a nodding spike of pink-colored flowers, be- 

 coming a huge cluster of delicious fruits in which the seeds are abortive. 



2. STRELITZIA REGIN.E. Scape 5 Sf, with sheathing bracts, upper 

 bract spathe-like, horizontal, with a cluster of splendid flowers. Sepals lanceolate, 34', 

 yellow. Petals hastate, light blue, enclosing the stamens and style. S. Africa. 



3. HEDYCHIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM. Stem 5f, very leafy. Leaves Hn- 

 tr-lanceolate. Sepals and pet. linear, the .;p jbloi.g sill scarlet, in a dense cluster. H. 

 CARNKITM- has similar leaves, with pink-colored flowers in a loose cluster. E. India. 



4. ALPINIA MAGNfFiCA, from Mauritius, lOf high, has the flowers in a 

 lieaO with many large rose-colored bracts, which are bordered with a white line. A. N u- 

 TANS, still taller, from E. India, has a drooping raceme of pink-colored bracts and dowers, 

 with curled and curved petals. Very splendid. 



5. MARANTA Bf COLOR, from Brazil, is cultivated for the large ovate 

 leavos, which are beautifully feather-marked with light-green above and purple beucnth 



