HEDYCHIUM. 
This genus, distinguished perhaps above any other for beauty, variety and fragrance, has suddenly 
arisen to an extent and importance, of which, a few years since, the admirers of this tribe of plants could 
scarcely have formed an idea. The only species known in this country, when the new arrangement of 
Monandrian Plants was published in the year 1807, in the eighth volume of the ‘Transactions of the 
Linnean Society, was the Hedychium Coronarium or Gandsulium of Rumphius; which on account of. its 
fragrance is cultivated by the natives of the Hast, the Malay women ornamenting their heads with the 
flowers, or sending them to their lovers to remind them of their vows. No further additions are made 
to the species in Dr. Roxburgh’s description of Monandrian Plants, in the xi. vol. of the Asiatic Researches, 
published in the year 1810; in which the author observes, “he had only seen this most beautiful plant 
in its cultivated state, though a native of various parts of India, the Malay Archipelago, §c.” The same 
species is also the only one found in the gardens at Kew at that period, as appears by the 2nd edition 
of the Hortus Kewensis, published in that year. Between the years 1810 and 1820, some additions were 
made to the species of this genus, and in an article in Rees’s Cyclopedia, published in 1819, by Sir J. E. 
Smith, four additional species are given and described, Ellipticum, Spicatum, Thyrsiforme and Coccineum; all 
of which will be found figured in the present work. For a satisfactory description of this genus and its 
species, as far as they were then known, we cannot do better than refer to that publication. Since that 
period, by the kindness and communications of Dr. Carey, of Serampore, and Dr. Wallich, of Calcutta, to 
the author, and their liberality to the directors of the Botanic Garden at Liverpool, in supplying them with 
new and important species of this genus, chiefly discovered by Mr. Wm. Carey in his excursions through 
various parts of India, or by Dr. Wallich on his journey into the territory of Nipal, the number has been 
so extended, that this work will be found to contain no less than 17 well ascertained species, exhibiting 
a beauty, elegance and variety, which can only be equalled by the extraordinary and diversified fragrance 
with which every different species is endowed. The value of these plants was enhanced by the learned and 
judicious remarks by which they were in general accompanied, and of which I have frequently availed 
myself in the descriptions here given. 
Nor must it be thought that the plants here referred to contain nearly the whole of those which are 
already known of this very extensive genus. In a letter from Dr. Wallich, written shortly after his return 
from Nipal, and dated 4th December, 1824, he says, “I venture to affirm there is not a more difficult 
family in the whole extent of phenogamous plants, than that which you have chosen for your present 
botanical labours. Its members are as numerous as their discrimination is extremely arduous. I have found 
the Hedychia difficult beyond what I had anticipated ; nor was it until my visit to Nipal that I could attain 
at any sort of satisfactory results concerning them. The instant culture intervenes, they become rebellious 
and unmanageable; often running into each other, and assuming new appearances; and characters which 
were thought constant, becoming uscless. I have been obliged to abandon my former arrangement of this 
lovely tribe, and with your indulgent permission, shall now attempt to present you with an outline of the 
genus, as it has come under my own observation.” 
Dr. Wallich then proceeds to give the characters of 19 species of the present genus, comprehending 
most of those now included and figured in the present work. On a strict examination I find, however, 
four species described by him which have not occurred to our notice in the Botanical Garden at Liverpool, 
but which from his descriptions, I judge to be specifically different from any we have yet seen. That living 
specimens of the greater part or the whole of these plants, may have been sent from Serampore or Calcutta 
to Liverpool is not improbable; but the danger which attends the conveyance’ of living plants from Asia to 
Europe, the effects of which we have so often had occasion to lament, has perhaps prevented our receiving 
them. 
