CXXVIII. SCITAMINEiE. 1593. 



1. CURCUMA, Linn. 



(From the Arabic name of one species.) 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx tubular, 3-tootlied ; corolla-tube longer than 

 the calyx, the limb of 3 outer lobes of which the upper one is broader than the 

 2 others, and 2 inner lobes or staminodes resembling the 2 outer lower lobes and 

 adnate at the base on their inner margins to the short broad petal-like filament- 

 of the perfect stamen. Labellum broad and petal-like ; two short linear 

 staminodes at the base of the style. Anther oblong-linear, the two cells folded 

 round the summit of the style and produced at the base into auricles or spurs. 

 Ovary 8-ceIled. Style filiform, with a capitate stigma. Capsule 8-celled, 

 loeulicidally 8-valved. Seeds several, arillate. — Herbs with a perennial rhizome 

 and clustered fleshy roots. Leaves with convolute sheathing bases. Scapes 

 simple with a thick erect spike. Bracts concave or saccate and imbricate at the 

 base, with broad spreading often coloured ends. Flowers yellow, 3 to 5 within 

 each bract. 



The g«!nus is generally distributed over tropical Asia, the only Australian species is endemic. 



1. C. australasica (Australian), Hook. f. Bot. Mng. t. 5620 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Aiistr. vi, 263. Rhizome with a cluster of white cylindrical tuberous roots. 

 Leaves 1 to l^ft. long, lanceolate or narrow-elliptical, acute, tapering into a long 

 sheathing petiole. Scape lengthening to about 6in. below the broad spike, which 

 attains from 5 to Tin., the upper, bracts 1 to l^^in. long, with broad spreading 

 rose-coloured ends, the lower bracts green, closely erect and broadly saccate at. 

 the base, with short broad spreading ends. Flowers of a pale yellow, about as 

 long as the lower bracts. Corolla-tube twice as long as the calyx, dilated 

 upwards, the upper lobe concave and broad, the lateral outer ones and upper 

 inner one or staminodes broadly oblong ; labellum broadly orbicular almost- 

 reniform, notched and undulate on the margin. Anther-auricles narrow and 

 acute. 



Hab.: Cape York, Daemel, Gulliver ; Cape Sidmouth, C. Walter ; Thursday Island. 



2. TAPEINOCHEILOS, Miq. 



(Eeferring to the shortness of the lip.) 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Oalyx tubular, shortly 3-lobed. Corolla-tube short,. 

 the limb 3-lobed, the dorsal lobe rather broader and shorter than the lateral ones. 

 Labellum erect, concave, shorter than the corolla, obscurely 8-lobed. Filament 

 broadly petal-like, continuous with the connective and shortly produced beyond. 

 the anther-cells. No staminodia. Ovary 2-celled, with numerous ovules. Style 

 filiform, the stigma dilated, flatly 2-lobed, without appendages. Fruit dry, 

 indehiscent, crowned by the persistent coriaceous oalyx, 2-celled. Seeds angular,, 

 ■with a small arillus. 



The genus is supposed to be limited to a single species, which is met with in the Indian 

 Archipelago, New Guinea and Australia. 



1. T. pungens (pungent), Miq. in Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iv. 101, t. 4 ;. 

 Benth. Fl. Aus tr. vi. 267 ; var. Queenslandice. Stems spirally curved, attaining 

 the height of 10 to 12ft., leafy throughout. Leaves 6 to Sin. long, lanceolate 

 with long narrow points, contracted into a short petiole above the long sheathing 

 base ; the cone-like spike 6 to 12in. long and 3 to 4in. in diameter, borne upon a^ 

 scape, bearing bract-like leaves, of from 1^ to 5ft. high. Bracts rigid, striate, 

 imbricate, the broad ends recurved, of a rich crimson. Flowers yellow, scarcely 

 exceeding the bracts. Calyx about 10 lines long. Corolla If in. long. Labellum 



