PLANTS OF PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND. 59 



cannot understand each other's language and an antipathy 

 prevails between them, as great as between the natives of two 

 hostile kingdoms. 



The Choolias, a race of musulmans from the Southern 

 part of the Coromandel Coast (above Nagore especially) may be 

 reckoned to form another third. Many of these are engaged 

 in trade ; the boatmen, fishermen, and coolies, who carry bur- 

 dens are all of this class. 



The remaining third is chiefly composed of Europeans, 

 Armenians, Portuguese Malays and Burmas. The concourse 

 of various nations is so great, that I have been assured that 

 fourteen languages are in constant use in the Bazaar; English, 

 Portuguese, Armenian, Chinese of Canton. Chinese of Chin- 

 chew, Buzguese Malay, Siamese, Hindostanee, Bengalee, 

 Tamil, Telinga, Arabic, Burma. 



The vegetable productions which have fallen under my 

 observation are as follows : — 



MONANDEIA— MONOGYNIA. 



Canna Indie a- cultW&ted in gardens. 



1. Amomum zingiber, Ginger, Alia, Malay. 



Cultivated, nearly sufficient for the use of the inhabitants. 



2. Amomum globosum / Loureiro Flor. Cochinchin, p. -i. 



Amomum nutans, Eoxb. [Alpinia sp. Ed.] 



Spike : cauline, branched ; fruit globose, with an even 

 suface. Boonga Chungkenam, Malay. 



Description. 



Root : tuberous, fibrous. Stems : erect, cylindrical, 

 smooth, porous, lamellated. Leaves : alternate, lanceolate, large, 

 smooth, without nerves. Petioles : long, vaginant, continued 

 large, from the lamella of the stem. Stipule : a membran- 

 aceous margin, toothed at the apex of each petiole within the 

 base of the leaf Racemi of Flowers : terminating the stem 

 drooping. Peduncles : sparse ; the lower three fioweued, the 

 upper two flowered. Calyx : Perianth above, one leafed ; 



R. A. Soc, No. 53, 1909 



