INTRODUCTION. 
Since the publication of the new arrangement of Scitaminean Plants in the eighth volume of the 
Transactions of the Linnean Society, many valuable works on that subject have been given to the public, by 
which the knowledge of this interesting tribe has been greatly extended, some new genera have been established, 
and considerable additions made to the species. Among these publications are the last edition of the Hortus 
Kewensis; the Prodromus Flore Nove Hollandice by the learned circumnavigator, Mr. Robert Brown; the Description 
of several of the Monandrous Plants of India, by the late Dr. Roxburgh, in the eleventh volume of the Asiatic 
Researches, since considerably extended in his Flora Indica, now publishing by Dr. Carey of Serampore, and 
Dr. Wallich of the Botanic Garden Calcutta; and the dissertations of the late lamented Sir James Edward Smith, 
P.L.S. in the New Cyclopedia of Dr. Rees. To these may be added the different periodical works which 
have since appeared in this and foreign countries; by which great light has been thrown on both the generic 
and specific distinctions of this tribe, and materials provided for supplying their defects and reducing them 
into more perfect order. 
In the Genera Plantarum of Linneus, edited by Reichard, the Scitaminean Plants consist of eight genera 
only, viz—1 Canna, 2 Amomum, 3 Costus, 4 Alpinia, 5 Maranta, 6 Curcuma, 7 Kempferia, and 8 Thalia, all of 
which are now fully established and recognized. 
Jussieu (Gen. Pl. Ed. Uster. Turici, Helvet. 1791) added to these four other genera, viz. 1 Catimbium, 
2 Globba, 3 Myrosma, (ex Lin. Supp.) 4 Hedychium; of these Catimbium is the fine plant formerly called 
Renealmia Nutans, since ascertained to be an Alpinia—Myrosma, so long considered as a well-established 
genus, but shown in the present work to be a species of Phrynium. Hedychium and Globba, also retained 
in our present arrangement, although the name of Globba is perhaps applied to a different genus from that 
acended by Jussieu. ; 
To the foregoing genera, Gmelin in his Systema Nature, Leipsic 1791, added four others, viz.— 
1 Renealmia, 2 Philydrum, 3 Spheerocarpus, and 4 Tsiana; of these the first is founded on a different plant 
from that before noticed, and will be found inserted in the present work; the second is justly considered by 
Mr. Brown as belonging to a different class, and is therefore omitted in the present arrangement; the third 
(Spherocarpus) is the Hura Siamensium of Koenig (Retz. Ob. Bot. fas. iii. p. 49) which has since been 
described under the name of Globba Hura by Dr. Roxburgh, Asiat. Res. xi. 359, and under that of Globba 
Versicolor by Sir J. EK. Smith in Exot. Bot. vol. 2, tab. 117, and the fourth (Tstana Speciosa) is the Costus 
Speciosus of Linnzeus. 
In the edition of the Sp. Plantarum by Willdenow (Berol. 1797) we find three additions made to the 
genera of Scitaminew before established, viz. 1 Hellenia, 2 Hornstedtia, 3 Phrynium; of these the genus 
Hellenia, according to Willdenow, comprehends four species, all of which are founded on the descriptions 
of Retzius from the discoveries of Koenig; the first, denominated by Retzius AHeriticria Allughas, was 
included in my former arrangement, under the name of Alpinia Allughas, and is cited as such by _ Dr. 
Roxburgh, Asiat. Res. xi. 353, who has confirmed the doubtful reference there made to Van Rheede, Hort. 
Mal. xi. 14, under which name a figure of it will be found in the present work. The three other 
species Hellenta Alba (Languas vulgare of Konig, Retz. Mon. 64. Heritieria Alba of Retzius, Obs. vi. 18,) 
