8 



(10) Banana or Plantain. (Musa paradasiaca, L.) 



The stem is composed of the lower portions of the leaf-stalks, rolled round one another. 



The flower-stalk is protruded from the centre of the leaves which gradually lengthens and hangs 

 down The irregularly-shaped flowers are arranged in clusters, which in fruit are called " hands". 

 These clusters are arranged spirally on the stalk, and there are three in each revolution, so that com- 

 mencing at any one cluster, the fourth is above or below it. The flowers that appear first, at the base 

 of the stalk, have a pistil, but no stamens (pistillate or female flowers) ; there are from 5 to 12 or 

 more of these clusters, and these produce fruit Then come clusters of flowers which have both pistil and 

 stamens (bisexual) ; and finally clusters of flowers which have stamens and no pistil (staminate or male 

 flowers). Each cluster is covered by a coloured leaf (bract). 



The calyx is long, tubular but split from the base ; and three-lobed. The corolla is included 

 in the calyx, shorter than it, and blunt at the apex with a long point. There are 5 perfect stamens; 

 the filaments are thick, and thread-shaped { filiform) ; the anthers are linear, erect, 2-celled, with 

 parallel contiguous cells. The pistil consists of 3 united carpels {syn-carpous) ; the ovary is inferior 

 and 3 celled, with numerous ovules in each cell ; the style is filiform from a thickened base ; the 

 stigma is rounded. The fruit is pulpy and does not split {in-dehiscent) it is technically therefore 

 a berry {baccate) ; the ovules do not ripen into seeds in this cultivated fruit. 



The true stem is underground {rhizome). The leaves are very large, with an uncut margin {entire) 

 and parallel veins passing off from the midrib. 



The Banana belongs to the order Scitamine^e, which also includes Ginger {Zingiber), wild Ginger 

 (Hedychium), Cardamom, Indian Shot {Canna), Arrowroot and Kajmpferia. The following are the chief 

 characters of the order : the flowers are irregular. The perianth consists of 2 series, the outer being 

 calyx-like, and the inner corolla-like. There are 1 or 5 perfect stamens, and 5 or 1 without anthers 

 {staminodes) and variously altered, the ovary is inferior. The seed has the embryo embedded in the 

 centre of the endosperm. The leaves have parallel veins passing from the midrib. The species are herbs 

 generally with rhizomes. 



(11) Tamarind. {Tamarindus indica, L.) 



In the calyx, the sepals are united {gamo-sepalous) into a short funnel-shaped tube; the uppe^ por- 

 tion {limb) is divided into 4 lobes, which overlap in the bud (are imbricate) ; one of the lobes (the largest) 

 appears to be composed of 2 lobes combined, — it has 2 distinct veins. The corolla is composed of dis- 

 tinct petals (it is poly-petalous), which are inserted on the calyx round the ovary (peri-gynous), and are 

 imbricate; 3 of the petals are about equal to the calyx-lobes, and 2 are minute. (There are thus a re- 

 gular number of sepals and petals, 5 of each.) The stamens are peri gynous, 3 in number, with the fila- 

 ments all connected below {mon-adelphons) , undeveloped stamens {staminodes) alternate with the fertile 

 stamens; the anthers are attached at a point near their centre {versatil"), they are oblong, two-celled, and 

 burst longitudinally. The pistil is composed of one carpel ; the ovary is stalked, with the stalk united 

 on one side to the calyx-tube ; there are numerous ovules ; the style is long with terminal stigma. The 

 fruit is a pod {legume) incurved, thick, not splitting open {in-dehiscent), it is composed of 3 portions, the 

 outer part {epi-carp) is brittle, the middle portion (meso-carp) is pulpy, and the inuer portion enclosing 

 the seeds (endo-carp) is leathery ; there are partitions between the seeds. The seeds are roundish, com- 

 pressed, with thick testa, no endosperm {ex-albuminous) ; the cotyledons are thick, and the radicle short 

 and straight. This species is a tree without spines. The leaves are alternate, compound, with the 

 leaflets arranged on opposite sides of a common stalk {pinnate) without an odd one at the top {abruptly 

 pinnate) ; the leaflets are small, opposite in about 8 to 16 pairs. The flowers are yellowish, red-striped, 

 arranged singly along a common unbranched stalk {in a raceme) at the tops of the branches ; small leaves 

 {bracts) cover the flower in the bud, which soon/all {deciduous). 



Order: Leguminosse. See No. 5. 



(12) Divi-divi. (Ccesalpinia coriaria, W.) 



The calyx is composed of 5 united sepals {gamo-sepalous), the lowest one being the largest ; it is 

 quite free from and below the pistil {inferior) ; the lobes overlap in the bud (are imbricate) The corolla 

 is composed of 5 distinct petals (poly petalous), which are imbricate and attached to the calyx round the 

 ovary {peri-gynous) ; 4 of the petals are about equal in size and roundish, and the upper one is boat- 

 shaped and situated within the rest. There are 10 free stamens {dec-androus), perigynous ; the filaments 

 are hairy at the base ; the anthers are 2-celled, and burst longitudinally. The pistil is composed of 1 

 carpel ; the ovary is free from the calyx {superior) with few ovules ; the stigma is concave. The fruit 

 is a pod {legume) curved sideways and compressed. The seed is compressed, and is without endosperm 

 (ex- albuminous) ; the cotyledons are flat, and the radicle short and straight. The species is a tree, with- 

 out spines. The leaves are compound, twice-pinnate (bi-pinnate) that is the primary leaflets are arranged 

 along each side of a common stalk, and each primary leaflet is composed of small secondary leaflets along 

 a common stalk ; the secondary leaflets are numerous, with a row of dots inside the margin. The 

 flowers are white and fragrant, arranged along a branching stalk {in a panicle). 



Order : Leguminosao. See No. 5. 



(13) Flamboyante. {Poinciana regia, Boj.) 



The calyx is composed of 5 sepals united {gamo-sepalous) below into a very short tube which is in- 

 serted on the stalk below the ovary {inferior) ; the 5 lobes are long and become detached e isily from the 

 tube, tbeir edges just touch in the bud {valvate) ; there is an outgrowth (disk) on the Jtop of the inside 

 of the tube to which the petals and stamens are affixed. The corolla consists of 5 distinct petals {poly- 

 petalous) inserted on the disk, which are wrinkled and overlap in the bud {imbricate) ; the 4 lower petals 

 are scarlet, round, tapering into a kind of stalk {claw), the upper petal is wedge-shaped, and in colour 



