OECHIDACE^ — ZINGIBEEAOB^ OK SCITAMINE^. 605 



as Eulophia herbacea and campestris. Salep forms an article of diet 

 fitted for convalescents, when boiled with water or milk. Orclvis mas- 

 cula is supposed to be the '" long purples " of Sbakspeare. The roots 

 of Aplectnm. hyemale contain a very glutinous matter, and hence the 

 plant is called in America Putty-wort. The fleshy pod-like fruit of 

 Vanilla planifolia, and V. aromatioa, and other species, constitutes the 

 substance called Vanilla, which is used in confectionery, and in 

 flavouring chocolate. It contains an oil and much benzoic acid. 

 VaniUa comes into the markets chiefly through France. In 1872 

 nearly 60,000 lbs. of Vanilla were imported into that country. A kind 

 of VanUle called Ghica in Panama is procured from a species of 

 Sobralia. A blue colouring matter has been found in some of the 

 Orchids. The odour of many of them is very fragrant ; sometimes 

 it is oppressive ; at other times, as in Malacliadmia clavata, it is very 

 fetid, resembling carrion. 



Order 187. — ZiNGiBEEACBiE or Scitamine^, the Ginger Family. 

 (Mono-Epigyn.) Perianth superior, in 2 whorls; outer (calyx) tubu- 

 lar, 3-lobed, short ; inner (corolla) tubular, elongated, 3-parted, seg- 

 ments nearly equal. Stamens in 2 whorls ; outer sterile, petaloid, 

 having the appearance of a 3-parted corolline whorl, with the inter- 

 mediate Segment (labellum) larger than the rest, and often 3-lobed; 

 sometimes the lateral segments are inconspicuous or nearly abortive ; 

 inner stamens 3, the two lateral being abortive, the intermediate one 

 opposite the labellum, fertile ; filament not petaloid, often prolonged 

 beyond the anther ; anther 2-oelled, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary 

 3-celled, or imperfectly so ; ovules several, anatropal, attached to a 

 placenta in the axis ; style filiform ; stigma dilated, hollow. Fruit 

 usually a 3-celled capsule, sometimes baccate. Seeds roundish or 

 angular, sometimes with an arUlus ; embryo enclosed in a vitellus' 

 (the remains of the embryo-sac), surrounded by farinaceous albumen, 

 which is deficient near the hUum. — Herbs with a creeping rhizome, 

 and simple sheathing leaves, having parallel veins proceeding from the 

 midrib to the margin. The flowers arise from membranous spa- 

 thaceous bracts. Natives of tropical countries. By far the greater 

 number inhabit various parts of the East Indies ; some are found in 

 Africa, and a few in America. They form a part of the singular Flora 

 of Japan. Authors mention 31 genera and 250 species. Examples 

 — Zingiber, Curcuma, Amomum, Hedychium, Eenealmia. 



Plants often with showy flowers, having aromatic stimulant pro- 

 perties, which reside chiefly in their rhizome or root, and in their 

 seeds. Some yield starchy matter. The rhizome of Zinyiber officinale 

 (Amomum Zingiber) constitutes the Ginger of commerce, which is 

 imported from the East and West Indies. In the young state the 

 rhizomes are fleshy and slightly aromatic, and they are then used as 

 preserves ; while in a more advanced state, the aroma is fully deve- 



