CURCUMA FERRUGINEA. 
MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
SECT. II. SCITAMINER. 
Gey. Cuar.—Anther double, embracing the style, bicalcarate at the base ; filament petal-like, in three segments, 
the central segment antheriferous ; capsule three-celled ;’ seeds numerous. 
Spec. Cuar.—Spike lateral; stem and leaves purple-clouded ; petioles green; leaves broad-lanceolate, equilateral, 
slightly clouded in the middle of the upper surface of the leaf ; outward limb of the corolla red. 
Curcuma ferruginea. Roab. Flora Indica, No. 7. vol i. p. 27. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Bulb large, ovate, with numerous pendulous tubers; stem or sheathing a deep ferruginous red; leaves broad- 
lanceolate, equilateral, green, except a slight purple cloud on each side the mid-rib on the upper side, and towards the 
middle of the leaf only ; petioles from 6—8 inches long, green and channelled ; spike six inches long, scape and bractes 
deep ferruginous red; fertile bractes greenish, tinged with red; coma a bright pink, or purple; calyx in three 
segments, acute; corolla longer than the bractes, large; outer limb in three segments, dark red, the two lateral 
segments equal, lanceolate, concave, converging, the central one rather larger, erect, mucronate, and villous at the 
apex, forming a hood over the anther and style; lip pentagonoid, bifid at the apex, yellow, with a deeper mark 
in the centre; filament trilobate, the central lobe bearing the anther, the lateral ones erect, elliptic, converging 
towards it, yellow; anther double, bicalcarate at the base; style slender, tubular, erect; stigma a ciliated, 
compressed cup; germen oblong-ovate, villous. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
The plant from which the present drawing was made, was presented by the late Lady Amelia Hume, to the 
Liverpool Botanic Garden, in 1807, and has since frequently flowered there. In all its characters it agrees with 
the C. ferruginea of Flor. Ind. No. 7. vol. i. p. 27, which we are there informed is a native of Bengal. The size 
of its flowers, and the purple colour of its stem and leaves, render it one of the most conspicuous of the genus. 
2 
REFERENCES. 
1. Root. 
2. Intire flower, exterior border erect. 
3. Do. exterior border reflexed. 
4, Do. deprived of the lip, to shew the bicalcarate anther, style, and stigma. 
5. The lip, separated. 
