COSTUS DISCOLOR. 
MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
SECT. II. SCITAMINEA. 
Gen. Cuar.— - 
n.—Anther double, attached to the front of the petal-like filament; filament extending beyond the 
anther Hana : ve 
a er, ovate, intire; inner limb of corolla unilabiate ; capsules three-celled; seeds numerous. 
rec. CHar.— mdi 
Stem cylindrical, ocrea smooth; leaves broad-ovate, obtuse, cequilateral, smooth on both sides, 
purpurescent beneath; spike ovate, imbricate; bractes purple at the base, green at the apex; 
flowers white. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Roots tuberous, spreading; stem cylindrical, spiral, smooth, four feet high; leaves alternating on the 
stem in an ascending circle, broad-lanceolate, strongly nerved, equilateral, smooth on both sides, green above, 
purple below; petioles very short, smooth; ocrea ciliated with fine hairs; spike terminal, oval, declining ; 
outer bractes laxly imbricate, ovate, crimson at the base, green at the apex, and sometimes foliaceous ; 
calyx tubular, three-toothed, scarlet; flowers large, white, generally expanding in pairs; outer limb of corolla 
in three segments, lanceolate, nearly equal; inner limb or lip oblong, trilobate, waved at the margin, and 
slightly tinged with yellow in the middle, with the nectarium at the base; filament oblong, resembling in 
shape an Egyptian Mummy, scarlet for upwards of three-fourths its length, white at the apex; anther 
of two yellow lobes, naked, placed on its proper bed in front of the filament, and about one-third distant 
from the apex; style strong, cylindrical, naked at the base, extending beyond the anther, but shorter than 
the filament; stigma a compressed cup, with ciliated margin supported by the two hornlike, pointed appendages 
peculiar to the genus. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This beautiful species of Costus was introduced by Mr. Newman, from Maranham, and received from 
Mr. Lee of Hamersmith, at the Botanic Garden in Liverpool, where it has repeatedly flowered. In specific 
arrangement it may be ranked with those which flower in a loose spike, and is most nearly related to Speciosus 
and Nipalensis, from which it is, however, sufficiently distinguished by its peculiarly shaped filament, and 
the contrasted green and _ scarlet colour of its leaves, which has induced us to give it the name of Discolor. 
REFERENCES. 
. Outer floral bracte. 
. Inner do. 
. Calyx. 
_ Germen and filament, anther, style and stigma. 
. Style and stigma detached. 
Aa F wo wo 
. Stigma, with its appendages in profile, magnified. 
x 
. Stigma, without its appendages, do. 
- Outer limb of corolla. 
ive) 
. Inner do. in its tubular form. 
Ke} 
10. Ditto, expanded. - 
