lobi oblongi subaequilongi, colorati, Iobus posticus cucullatus erectus vel 

 decumbens, Iatior, anteriores patentes basi Iabello plus minus adnati. Sta- 

 minodia lateralia ad dentes parvas reducta, basi iabelii inserta vel saepius 

 nulla. Labellum oblongum vel calceolare basi auriculattim (explanatum trian- 

 guläre vel ovatum vel hastatum) rigidum vel rigidiusculum intus concavum, 

 hirsutum, marginibus et auriculis erectis vel his convolutis, cum petalis inser- 

 tum et ea baud valde longitudine superans. Stamen petala et labellum aequans 

 vel brevior, vulgo Iabello appressum. Filamentum lineare rigidum coriaceum 

 in connectivum continuum, apice supra antheram projectum, rotundatum, 

 marginibus valde incrassatis, vel nullum; anthera aut connectivo latiori et 

 longiori antice infra apicem adnatum, thecis parallelis linearibus dense villosis, 

 suturis vulgo brevibus basi saepe in calcaria filamento adnata lis aequilonga 

 desinentibus aut sessilis, elongata, connectivo angusto, thecis villosissimis 

 apice divaricatis vel obtusis, connectivo apice supra thecas vulgo brevissimo 

 crasso recurvo, interdum in lobos parvos petaloideos paullo producto. Pollen 

 giobosum laeve abundaus, magis minusve conglutinans. Ovarium oblongum 

 3-loculare multi-ovulatum, stylus tenuis stigmate ultra thecas exserto, parvo 

 globoso et saepe gibboso vel obtriangulari vel cyathiformi apertura cou- 

 spicua antica vel subapicali vel terminali. Stylodia bacilliformia vel linearia, 

 vel brevia, carnosa, numéro 2 — 8, libera vel, vulgo, in tubum longissimum 

 vel breve, cylindicum integrum vel saepius lateraliter fissum apice incisum 

 coalita. 



Syncarpium giobosum involucro inclusum. Fructus globosus vel oblon- 

 gus, lateraliter compressus, pericarpio tenui coriaceo, lignoso-fibroso, extus 

 laevi. Semina multiangula nigra, arillo saccato tenui. 



Herbae elatae habitu Elettariae, rhizomate crasso lignoso ramoso inter- 

 nodiis brevibus, prope superficiem terrae subterraneo vel supraterraneo, 

 interdum ope radicibus aereis supra terrain elevato. 



Inflorescentia capitato-spicata cylindrico- vel elliptico-fusiformis, rarius ur- 

 ceolaris vel clavata prope caulem e rhizomate nascens, pedunculo squamoso 

 nunc brevi vel brevissimo saepe incurvo, rarius elongato, stricto suffulta- 

 Bracteae exteriores ovatae vel oblongae, rigidiusculae extus reticulatae vel 

 tomentosae steriles, involucrum apice apertum sistentes. Bracteae interiores 

 florem singulum cum bracteola laterali appressa foventes, florem aequantes 

 laeves albidae vel extus coloratae. musilagineae. Bracteolae rarissime défi- 

 cientes, apertae in H. leoniirus spathaceo-tubulosae (teste Ridley), mem- 

 branaceae, corollae tubo duplo vel pluries breviores. 



Discussion of the generic characters. 



1. Inflorescence. The inflorescence is a spike or a spikeshaped head, 

 fusiform or cyathiform by its outline, in one case (//. rubra) clavate, 

 consisting of a fleshy peduncle, ending in a short and fleshy axis, form- 

 ing mostly a convex or almost flat torus, rarely an elongate axis 

 (//. tomentosa and H. rubra), in fruiting spikes always more or less elongate. 



