: : iled by Sir J. E. Smith, 
The history of this plant, which is highly interesting and curious, was first detailed by Sir 
Page 2 it described b 
in the article Alpinia, in the Supplement to Rees’s Cyclop. From this we learn, that it was y 
' i ith a leaf, sent to him 
Linnzus, from specimens of a cluster of the flowers, and a quantity of the fruit, wi 5 
i 9 aaa i lerbarium, where 
in bottles of spirits. The former was taken out and dried, by Linnzeus Ee ey ALE 
: ; . ral a . © The spirits 
it now lies marked by him Heliconia, which genus it somewhat resembles in general aspect oak 
in the bottle of fruit being gone, the latter is also dried; but enough remains to show it ote a fleshy, 
very fibrous, oval, capsule, above an inch long, of three valves, strongly umbilicated, and CaaS ri 
ob-ovate seeds, now of a shining brown; their flavour is lost.” A Dutch M.S. sent from Surinam, with the 
collection to which the above belonged, contains the following information: “ No. 64, is a sort of reed, 
and has upon each stalk four such leaves as are here to be seen, two uppermost next to each other, and 
then the other two a span under the uppermost, and a span between these two dewnwards to the fruit. 
The fruit is at first red, black when ripe. he seed in the fruit tastes exactly like cardamom. The stalk 
to which the fruit grows is two feet and a half long, beset with 25 to 27 fruits.” 
The essential, natural, and specific characters given by Linneeus, and inserted in the Cyclop. are in 
perfect accordance with our specimens, particularly as relates to the most important parts, which are thus 
described: ‘ filament none; anther solitary, inserted into the mouth of the tube in the bosom of the lower, 
(upper) segment of the corolla, opposite to the nectary (lower lip,) unconnected, straight, linear, emarginate ; 
stigma peltate, a little flat head, abrupt on the side towards the nectary, an orifice running into the style; 
pericarp a berry, oblong, round, with three furrows, smooth, fleshy, with an umbilicated termination, three cells 
in the centre, the cells soft and membranous; seeds numerous, oblong.” 
Since the above-mentioned account in the Cyclopedia, we are not aware that any authentic information 
has been obtained respecting this plant, until the publication of No. cviii. of the Bot. Reg. fig. 777, where 
a good figure is given under the name of Alpinia tubulata, from a plant raised by Mr. Lambert, at Boyton, 
from seed sent from Demerara, accompanied by a full description and observations, in which the editor has 
remarked on the suggestion of Mr. David Don, “ that among the unpublished engravings in Mr. Lambert’s 
library, there is one intended for a work of Plumier’s, which clearly represents either one of the same species, 
or else one -of the same genus.” After a close inspection and examination of copies of Plumier’s two 
drawings, with the very perfect specimens of the plant and fruit brought by Mr. Parker, and now in our 
possession, we have no hesitation in stating it as our decided opinion, that the figures of Plumier, and 
that in the Botanic Register, represent not only the same genus, but the same species of plant, to which 
we have now restored its proper and original name of Renealmia exaltata. Another figure of the same plant, 
on rather a reduced scale, has been given in Bot. Mag. No. 2494, where the learned editor expresses his 
doubts “ whether it can belong to the same genus as Alpinia nutans, and the other species with which we 
are acquainted ;” but relinquishes his own opinion to that of Mr. Don, who has placed it, not however 
without hesitation, under that genus. He has also referred to the Alpinias enumerated in the second section 
of the Flora Indica, with a radical inflorescence, a distinction which he does not however consider sufficient 
to constitute a genus. In the latter opinion I am induced, from the experience I have had of this tribe, 
fully to concur, (though formerly of a different opinion) having seen species of both Zingiber and Costus, 
some with a radical, and others with a terminal inflorescence; and in one instance both radical and terminal 
flowers on the same plant. In detaching the genus Rencalmia from that of Alpinia, I wish it therefore to 
be understood, that I have not been in any degree influenced by the radical inflorescence of the former 
is 2 2 
but have relied for its generic character on the particulars before stated in that respect. The pulpy capsule 
of Renealmia ewaltata contains an acid, which induces the West Indians to make use of it as a preserve, in 
< AD) 
which state we have seen specimens of it brought to England, and found it, on tasting, very agreeable. By the 
kindness of Mr. Parker we are also possessed of specimens of another plant of the same genus, nearly allied to the 
Ecaltata, but differing in having a more flexuose spike, with simple one-flowered pedicels, and floral bractes twice the 
2 
length of the flower. The seeds of this were also sown, in the Botanic Garden at Liverpool, at the same time with 
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those of Renealmia exaltata, and have produced plants, which are now in a growing state 
t) 
REFERENCES. ——1. Entire flower. 9 Outer and inner section of corolla, 
4, 5, & 6. Germen, style and stigma magnified. 7. Anther, natural size. 
but have not yet flowered. 
ce 3. Germen, corolla, anther, style and stigma. 
- Capsule or berry. 9. Same opened. 10. Seeds. 
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