659 



The plant has been grown in Old Calabar and recommended 

 to be grown in West Africa for papermaking — although an 

 attempt to grow it on the Gold Coast for this purpose is reported 

 to have given negative results (Rep. Agric. Dept. Gold Coast for 

 1915, p. 13). It is easily propagated by division of the rhizomes, 

 grows freely and produces heavy cuttings one or more times a 

 year according to conditions, and well adapted to growing in 

 swampy land. When once established comparatively little 



cultivation would be required. 



Ref. — '^ New Sources of Paper {Hedychium coronarinm and 

 allies)/' Kew Bull. 1912, pp. 373-378. '' Hedychinm coro- 



from 



167 ;. in B. Guiana, I.e. 



p. 175. — — " Hedychium coronarium and alhed species," l.c 



pp. 368-372. ''Hedychium coronarium in Brazil," l.c. 1917 



pp. 104-105. '' Hedychium coronarium,'' Beadle & Stevens. 



in Journ. Roy. Soc, Arts, Ixi. Feb. 14th, 1913, pp. 352-360. 



Curcuma, Linn. 



Curcuma longa, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753), p. 2, 



A perennial with rhizomes, sometimes rounded, sometimes 

 elongated, or both forms on the same j^lant. Leaves, somewhat 

 chartaceous, lanceolate acuminate, several apparently forming 

 part of one stem near the base, dividing about midway into an 

 open top. Inflorescence a short spike made uj^ of closely formed 

 pale green bracts, each containing two white or yellowish-white 



flowers. 



III. — Rheede, Hort. Mai. xi. t. 11; Plant. Indig. et Exot. Ic. 

 t. 79; Jacq, Hort. Bot. Vindob. iii. t. 4 {Amomum Curcuma)', 

 Redoute, Choix Fl. viii. t. 473; Bot. Reg. (1825) t. 886; Wagner, 

 Pharm. Med. Bot. tt. 131, 132; Woodville, Med. Bot. iv. t. 252; 

 Guimpl. Abbild. Beschr. iii. t. 258; Bentl. & Trimen, Med. PL 

 t. 269; Kohler, Med. Pflan. i; Duthie, Field Crops, t. 77; Bull. 

 Econ, Lido. -Chine, 1905, p. 1151 ; Ridley, Spices, p. 423, 



Vernac. 7iames. — Gangaman (Hausa, Dalziel) ; Gangamu or 

 Gangammo (N. Nigeria, Dudgeon)-^ Haldi (N. Prov. Lidia, 

 Srivastava) ; Ago or Ega (Tonga Islands, Crosby) ; Turmeric, 

 Long Rooted Turmeric {Woodville). 



Cultivated in India. Ceylon, Malaya, China, East Indies, 

 Islands in the Pacific including Fiji, etc. in Queensland and other 

 warm countries. The plant was being grown at Old Calabar in 

 1898 — the writer's report for 1898-99 shows 12 lb. Turmeric 

 distributed during the year. Specimens in the Herbarium and 

 Museum at Kew (Dalziel, No. 828, 1913— Abinsi & Vicinity; 

 Imp, Institute, No. 30472-3, 1909) from Nigeria and other parts 

 of West Africa — although not altogether satisfactory, go to show 

 that it is in all probability the same plant. 



The leaves are used as a condiment, especially with fish, 

 which are wrapped up in them and then fried, India (Watt, 

 Comm. Prod. India, d. 448^. 



