1594 CXXVIII. SCITAMINEJ]. [Tapeinocheiios. 



much shorter. Fruiting-calyx rigidly coriaceous, compressed but thick, above 

 lin. long, the lobes recurved and rigid, the free tube as long as and quite 

 ■continuous with the adnate base. — Costtcs pungens, Teysm. and Binnend. 



Hab.: In most of the tropical coastal scrubs. 



In the normal form the spike is said to terminate the main stem, which I noticed to be the 

 case with the plants in New Guinea. In Queensland, however, I have always found the spike 

 'borne upon a scape quite distinct from the leafy stems (see note in Cont. to Fl. of N. Guinea 

 •Ql- Agri. Journ. iii., Pt. 2., Aug. 1898), therefore the Queensland plant is given here as a 

 variety. 



3. ZINGIBER, Adans, 



(Said to be derived from the Greek Zlngiberis, of Sanscrit origin, the 

 rhizomes being horn shaped.) 



Calyx cylindrical, shortly 3-lobed. Corolla-tube cylindrical, segments 

 lanceolate, upper concave. Lateral staminodia none or adnate to the obovate- 

 cuneate lip ; filament short ; anther-cells contiguous, crest narrow, as long as the 

 cells. Ovary 3-celled ; ovules numerous, superposed. Style filiform ; stigma 

 ■small subglobose. Capsule oblong finally dehiscing. Seeds large globose, 

 arillate. 



Species belonging to the tropics of the Old World. 



1. Z. officinale (Rose), var. Clwhnondeleyi. Queensland Ginger. 

 Rhizome as in the common form. Leafy stems 2 to 4ft. high. Leaves 

 numerous, the middle ones on the stem exceeding 1 ft. long and lin. broad at the 

 ■centre, shortly petiolate at the base above the sheath, the points thread-like ; the 

 'ligule extending 4 to 5 lines above the attachment of the lamina. Scapes IJ to 

 l|ft. high, with numerous obtuse or emarginate stem-clasping bracts, sometimes 

 bearing laminae. Spikes ovoid or eylindric, about 3Jin. long and IJin. diameter. 

 tDuter suborbicnlar bract about lin. diameter, upper scarious margin pale-yellow. 

 Flower buds yellow, subulate; when first appearing from behind the outer bract 

 it gives to that organ the appearance of being cuspidate. Inner bract about 10 

 lines long, greenish towards the end, enclosing the calyx. Calyx hyaline, 

 tubular in the lower portion. Corolla-tube slender, white, enlarging upwards, 

 :about 12 lines long. Segments 3, the lower ones 3-nerved, imbricating ; 

 posterior one 9-nerved, larger and hooding over the stamen and style ; all about 

 9 lines long, lanceolate, yellow. Labellum B-lobed, about f the length of the 

 other segments, middle lobe oblong, margins incurved, undulate, purple blotched 

 •with yellow ; the centre or disk yellow, speckled with purple ; lateral lobes erect, 

 •ovate, embracing the stamen below the anther, purplish with yellow blotches, 

 attached near the base of labellum. Anther white, connective narrow, incurved, 

 horn-like, dark-purple. Style glabrous, filiform, with a ciliate ring encircling 

 the stigma. Stylodia rather long. 



Hub.: Cape York Peninsula, inland from Somerset, Cholmondeley Jardine. 

 I drew attention to this plant as a producer of a good commercial ginger in a paper read at 

 the meeting of the A.A.A. Sci. Jan. 7th, 1898 ; and again in Ql. Agri. Jour, vi., Pt. 6, June, 1900. 



4. AMOMUM, Linn, 



'(Alluding to the counter-poison qualities some species are supposed to possess.) 



Calyx tubular, spathaceous or 3-lobed at the top. Corolla-limb as long as the 

 iube, 3-lobed, the dorsal lobe br,oader than the lateral ones, without inner lobes. 

 Labellum large, flat, entire or lobed. Filaments flat, the connective produced 

 Ibeyond the anther-cells into a ,3-lobed appendage, the lateral lobes divaricate, the 

 middle one ' erect, entire or notched ; anther-cells embracing the style. Two 

 small linear staminodes at the base of the style. Ovary 3-oelled. Style filiform, 



