BANANA FAMILY. 411 



* Capsule 1-celled and 1-seeded. 

 2. THALIA. Stemless herbs, with an elongated scape and radical long-stalked leaves. 

 Corolla tubular, the three exterior divisions similar and equal, the interior ones une- 

 qual (the anterior division broad and hooded, one elongated and clawed and one partly 

 adnate to the stamen and furnished with two bristles on one side). Stigma 2-lipped. 

 * * Ovary S-celled (rarely 2-celled), the cells 1 ovuled. 

 8. CALATHEA. Strong-growing ornamental-leaved plants with flowers in imbricated 

 bracteate heads or cone-like spikes or rarely in somewhat lax spikes. Outer 3 seg- 

 ments of perianth lanceolate, the S inner ones irregular and obtuse. Corolla tube often 

 slender. Staminodia present and petal-like. 



* * * Capsule S-celled, the cells severaUm -seeded. 

 4. CAHTNA. Mostly tall plants with showy flowers in an erect spike or raceme terminating 

 the stem. Stamen a petal-like filament with the anther upon one side. 



III. BANANA SUBFAMILY proper. Not aromatic or 

 pungent. Stamens 5 with 2-celled anthers, and an abortive 

 naked filament. 



6. MTJSA. Strong somewhat palm-like plants with flowers in long nodding bracteate 

 spikes or racemes. Calyx tubular and elongated, 8-5-toothed and inclosing the small 

 corolla. Fruit fleshy and indehiscent. 



6. STEELITZIA. One cultivated species, with the scape bearing at apex an oblique or 

 horizontal and rigid condtaplicate spathe, from which several large and strange-looking 

 blossoms appear in succession ; the 8 outer divisions of the perianth 8 '-4' long, orange- 

 yellow, one of them conduplicate and taper-pointed, and somewhat like the two larger 

 of the bright blue inner set, or true petals, which are united and cover the stamens, 

 the other petal inconspicuous. 



1. HEDY CHITJM, GARLAND FLOWER. (Greek, sweet and snow, 

 referring to the fragrant white flowers of H. coronarium.) In green- 

 houses. 



H. Gardnerianum, Rosooe. Stems 3°-5° high ; leaves broadly lanceo- 

 late or oblong, clasping, 2-ranked; flowers light yellow, fragrant, in a 

 large terminal spike. India. 



H. coronarium, Koern. Plant 2°-5°, with 2-ranked, oblong, sessile 

 leaves, and large, snow-white, sweet flowers, the lip nearly 2' wide. 

 Often grown in conservatories with aquatics. B. Indies. 



2. THALIA. (J. Thalius, a German botanist, died in 1588.) 



T. dealbata, Roscoe. Plant dusted over with a white powder ; heart- 

 ovate, long-petioled leaves all from the root ; reed-like scape (3°-5° high) 

 branching above into panicled erect spikes of small, much-bracted, purple 

 flowers. Ponds and bogs, S. Car., S. and W. 



3. CALATHEA. (Greek: a basket, alluding either to the basket- 

 shaped stigma or to the use of the leaves in basket-making in S. Amer.) 

 The plants are generally known as Marantas. Natives of trop. Amer. 

 Following are the commonest in greenhouses. 



* Leaves marked only by transverse bars. 



C zebrina, Lindl. The oblong leaves 2 or 3 feet long, purple beneath, 

 the upper surface satiny and with alternating stripes of deep and pale 

 green ■ flowers dull purple, inconspicuous, in a bracted head or spike 

 near the ground on a short scape. The commonest species. 



