KA MPFERIA. 
Dr. Roxburgh remarks “that this genus as it now stands is neat and natural; the characteristic 
crest of the double anther large and bifid, or bidentate, and that the ripe seed vessel has not been seen; 
so rarely do they arrive at that state.” Rowh. in Asiatic Res. vol. xi. p. 326, 327. All the species known 
of this genus are of Eastern origin. Of the six species given in the present work, two flower radically 
before the appearance of the leaves, two from the centre of an erect petiolate foliage, and two from the 
middle of broad, ovate, bifarious, recumbent leaves ; serving as an additional proof that the mode of 
inflorescence in Scitaminee is not to be depended upon as a generic distinction. 
Dr. Roxburgh in his description of Monandrian , Plants, published in 1810, has only given four species 
‘of this genus; A. galanga, K. rotunda, K. angustifolia, and K. pandurata, to which I have added XK. 
marginata and K. ovalifolia. The roots of these plants are all aromatic, and are cultivated by the natives 
for medical or culinary purposes, and approach nearly to the taste-and quality of Curcuma. » 
Dr. Wallich, in his edition of Dr. Roxburgh’s Flora Indica, now publishing conjointly with Dr. Carey, 
of Serampore, has added two new species to Kempferia, K. secunda and K. linearis, from dried specimens 
sent to him from the mountains north east of Bengal under the Khassee name, Kattiajorung. Flowering 
time, the rainy season. d 
Dr. Wallich observes, that in the structure of their extremely thin and membranaceous flowers, these two 
plants are so much like Keempferia, that he has not considered himself warranted in separating them, though 
the character of that genus differs in the shape of the crest; which in these plants are perfectly entire, 
and on this account resembling that of Costus. Dr. Wallich, therefore, makes a new division of these 
two plants, as caulescent with a divided crest; but Professor Sprengel in his Systema Veg. now publishing, 
has considered them as belonging to Costus. 
No such uncertainty attaches, however, to a fine new species of Kempferia, discovered by Dr. Wallich 
on the Tong Dong mountains, 30 miles beyond the Burmese capital, (Ava) to which, and also to a 
superb species of Curcuma, with large igneous spikes, which he found in Pegu and the Tenasserim 
coast, he has done me the honour of associating my name, in the 14th volume of the Botanical Register, 
No. 12; an honour greatly enhanced by the kind and affectionate terms of friendship and respect in 
which it is expressed. Besides this new species of Kampferia, the flowers of which are white, and the 
leaves extremely beautiful, being marked on their upper surface with dark green or purple belts or spots, 
not very unlike the leaves of Maranta Zebrina. Dr. Wallich has brought with him from the Burmese 
territory to England, on his recent visit, in his large and invaluable collection of East India plants, three 
other new species of Kampferia, viz. one from the Teak forests on the Attran River, in Martaban, 
K. candida, and two from Pegu and Martaban, K. Craufurdiana and K. parviflora ; making in the whole 
10 species now known, exclusive of the two doubtful ones, of this very interesting and beautiful genus. 
