HEDYCHIUM ACUMINATUM. 
MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
SECT. II. SCITAMINES. 
Gey. Cuar.—Anther double, embracing the style ; filament long, slender, supporting the anther at its apex by 
a flexible ligament attached to the back ; capsule three-celled ; seeds numerous, arilled. 
Spec. Cuar.—Spike open, irregular; bractes one-flowered; filament shorter than the lip, somewhat recurved ; lip 
narrow-ovate, deeply divided into two sections; sections acute. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Roots perennial, tuberous; stems herbaceous, erect, simple, compressed, from three to four feet in height; 
leaves bifarious, lanceolate, smooth on the upper and villous on the under side; spike erect, loose, terminal ; 
rachis sub-triangular, and marked with pellucid white spots; common bractes cylindrical, smooth, mucronated ; 
inner bractes cuneate, membranous; calyx cylindrical, trifid, smooth, sheathing the tube of the corolla about 
half its length; outer limb of the corolla of three linear segments, pale yellow at the apex, and orange at 
the base; inner limb of three unequal segments; the two lateral ones narrow, linear, somewhat undulated and 
caniculated at the base; the middle segment, or lip, bifid, lobes acuminate, white ; claw caniculated at the base, 
and of a dark orange colour; filament shorter than the lip, recurved ; anther double, lobes large, embracing the 
style; style long, filiform, supported at the base by two blunt processes; stigma beautifully ciliated ; capsule green 
even when ripe, three-celled, three-valved, many-seeded, somewhat angular, compressed, retaining the outer and 
inner bractes as long as it remains on the stem, interior of the capsule a bright orange; seeds arilled. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This plant was introduced from Napal by Dr. Watuicu, by whom specimens were sent in 1819, under the 
name of Hedychium Spicatum, but that appellation having before been applied to a different species, this was 
denominated Acuminatum, from the pointed sections of the lip, resembling a pair of shears. The living plant was 
afterwards sent by Dr. Waurcn to the Botanic Garden at Liverpool; where it flowered, towards the end of 
October, 1822, and produced its seeds, which were sown and vegetated. Although not so splendid as many of its 
congeners, it is a stately and beautiful plant, and its flowers are highly fragrant. 
REFERENCES. 
. Germen, calyx, and corolla. 
. Germen and calyx separate. 
. Germen, style, stigma, and germinal processes. 
S&S OO HO 
. Filament and anther. 
Inner bracte. 
. Outer bracte. 
TAS 
. Capsule, with the permanent bractes. 
. Seed-vessel open. 
ive) 
