1596 CXXVIII. SCITAMINE^. [Costus. 



numerous ovules. Style filiform, the stigma dilated, flatly 2-Iobed, with 2 dorsal 

 appendages. Capsule 3-celled, opening loculicidally in 3 valves. Seeds arillate. 

 —Herbs with an erect leafy stem and a dense terminal spike. Bracts broad, 

 imbricate, with 1 flower in the axil of each. 



The genus is spread over the tropical regions of both the New and the Old World. The 



Australian species endemic. 



1. C. Pbtierae (after G. Potier), F. v. M. Fragm. iv. 161 ; Benth. Fl. Aust)\ 

 vi. 266. Stems about 10ft. high. Leaves on very short petioles, oblong-lanceolate, 

 acutely acuminate, 4 to 9in. long, 1-J- to 2Jin. broad, sprinkled underneath with 

 appressed hairs, the sheath shortly produced above the petiole, truncate and 

 ciliate. Spike dense, globose or ovoid-globose, 2 to Sin. long. Bracts scarlet 

 shorter than the calyx. Calyx about lin. long, 3-toothed. Corolla yellow, the 

 lobes 8 to 10 lines long and nearly equal. Labellum lin. long or rather larger, 

 orbicular, undivided, striate along the centre. Filament and connective produced 

 into a narrow border and a long terminal appendage beyond the anther-cells. 

 Capsule crowned by the persistent calyx, about ^in. long, opening loculicidally in 

 3 slits. 



Hab. : Rockingham Bay, Dallachy. 



7. ALPINIA, Linn, 



(After Prosper Alpinie.) 



(Hellenia, TVaid). 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx tubular, 8-toothed, often gpathaceous. Corolla- 

 tube longer than the calyx, the limb of 3 usually unequal lobes. Labellum 

 broad, flat, usually exceeding the corolla-lobes. Filament narrow, often filiform, 

 the connective not at all or only very shortly produced beyond the anther-cells. 

 Two short linear staminodes at the base of the style. Ovary 3-celled, with many- 

 ovules. Style filiform. Stigma terminal, concave. Fruit globular or obovoid, 

 succulent or with a erustaceous or dry pericarp, indehiscent or rarely obscurely 

 3-valved. Seeds not very numerous. — Erect herbs with a tuberous rhizome and 

 leafy stems. Flowers in a terminal raceme thyrsus or raceme-like panicle. 

 Bracts usually deciduous. 



At No. 1567 Hooker's I.e. Pi, reference ig made to A. modesta, 2?. w. A/., Rockingham Bay. 

 being like the N. Borneo species A. Fraseriana, Oliver, but I cannot find where Mueller- 

 mentions the above plant. — F. M. 11. 



A tropical genus limited to the Old World. The Australian species are endemic. 



Raceme simple. Anther-connective not produced beyond the cells. Capsule 



tardily 3-valved 1. .4. racemigera^ 



Thyrsus or panicle narrow. Anther-connective produced beyond the cells. 

 Flowers under lin. long. Anther connective very shortly produced. 



Fruit erustaceous indehiscent 2. A. cmrulea. 



Flowers above lin. long. Anther-appendage obovate, 2 lines long. 



Capsule elhpsoid, 3-valved ... 3. A. arctiilora. 



1. A. racemigera (flowers in a raceme), F. v. M. Frugm. viii. 27 ; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. vi. 265. A low species. Leaves long-lanceolate, acuminate, about 

 ]ft. long and 2|in. broad, on a minutely biauriculate sheath without any 

 intervening petiole. Flowers pale yellow, numerous in a single raceme of |ft,. 

 or shorter, the rhachis and pedicels pubescent. Bracts lanceolate, shorter than 

 the pedicels which are 2 to 3in. long. Calyx unequally divided to the middle 

 into 3 lobes, about 4 lines long. Corolla glabrous, about 8 lines long, the lobes 

 about as long as the tube, nearly equal but the upper one more concave. 

 Labellum orbicular-rhomboidal, 3 to 4 lines diameter. Filament broadly linear^ 



