HEDYCHIUM THYRSIFORME. 
MONANDRIA MONOGYN IA. 
SECT. II. SCITAMINER. 
Gry. Cuar.—Anther double, naked, attached at the back to the apex of the filament; filament long, grooved, 
embracing the style. 
Srec. Cuar.—Filament twice the length of the lip; spike ovate, dense; bractes convolute, numerous, closely 
appressed, reflexed, lip long, linear, deeply divided into two lanceolate lobes. 
Syy.—Hedychium thyrsiforme. Smith, in Rees’ Cyclop. 
Hedychium heteromallum. Bot. Register, No. 767. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Roots tuberous, fleshy, with long, cord-like fibres; stem herbaceous, simple, erect, from 4 to 6 feet high ; 
leaves alternate, elliptical, undulated, with a filiform point, strongly nerved, of a shining green colour on the upper 
surface, paler and downy below; the sheathing of the leaves purpurescent and villous, terminating in a ligulated 
obtuse ocrea; spike a compact, partially imbricated thyrsus; bractes numerous, conyolute, reflexed, 2—3 florous ; 
outer bracte broad-lanceolate, green; inner bracte shorter and membranaceous ; calyx superior, three-toothed, sheathing 
the tube of the corolla three-fourths its length; outer limb of corolla in three equal, long, narrow, linear-reflexed 
segments; inner lip of three segments, the two lateral ones equal, long, linear, revolute; the central one or lip 
deeply divided into two long lanceolate, pointed lobes, of a white colour, except a tinge of yellow at the base ; 
filament twice the length of the lip, recurved, white; anther broad-ovate, large, reflected; style filiform, supported 
at the base by two slender, white, germinal processes ; stigma a ciliated cup. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
* Gathered by Dr. Buchanan in 1802, at Narainhetty, in Upper Nepal, with the H. spicatum, from which the 
natives do not by name distinguish it. It differs, however, in its much shorter and very dense spike, and long 
stamen and style ; the calyx moreover has three teeth, and the lip of the flower is finely toothed.”Sir J. E. Smith, 
in Rees’ New Cyclop. 
Specimens of this rare species were received by the author from Dr. Wallich, at Calcutta, in 1819. By its 
compact spike, convoluted and reflexed bractes and elliptic leaves, it is sufficiently distinguished from every other 
species. 
The present drawing was made from a plant sent by Messrs. Loddiges & Sons, of Hackney, and which 
flowered in the Botanic Garden at Liverpool, in the year 1822. 
REFERENCES. 
. Intire flower. 
. Calyx. 
. Germen, and its subulate processes, style and stigma. 
Bm go MO 
. Outer bracte. 
Inner bracte. 
& 
