— 9 — 



streaks on the lobes. Evidently no Curcuma, most probably a Gastrochilus, 

 though reduced by Ridley to Hitcheniopsis. 



9. Curcuma lanceolata, Ridl. 1908, 22. In this badly known species 

 the bracts are ovate, green; the anther is terminal, the staminodes are much 

 smaller than the coroll lobes. Lip white, apex yellowish, sides barred crimson. 

 Evidently no Curcuma. Probably a Gastrochilus. 



10. Curcuma Kunstleri, Baker (v.s. comm. e Herb. Perak, Temanggo 

 leg. Ridley!; v. v. cult, in Hort. Bog. olim missa ex Singapore! sub „Kaem- 

 feria spec"). 



The study of living specimens of this species persuaded me that its 

 ranging in Curcuma is a perfect mistake brought about by a superficial 

 likeness of the spikes in dried specimens. Really it does not possess one 

 single characteristic of this genus, as I have discussed below (see under 

 Gastrochilus). 



I believe I may conclude from this review, that the 10 species of 

 Hitcheniopsis do not constitute a natural group. Two of them C. petiolata 

 and C. cordifolia are true Curcuma species. The remaining eight have 

 in common the more or less strobiliform inflorescence, which however shows 

 a rather different construction in the single species, the terminal anther 

 (perhaps with exception of C. sparganifolia and C. alismatifolia), and the 

 wanting of spurs to the connective. 



Provisionally I think they must remain together forming a rather dubious 

 group, Hitcheniopsis, which might be put as an Appendix to Gastrochilus. 

 None of them occur in the Archipel. 



As to Curcuma petiolata, Roxb. which is cultivated in Java and of which 

 I examined living specimens, I found them different in some characters from 

 the Curcuma type. This species is very nearly related to a recently discovered 

 species: C. aurantiaca, van Zijp, conspicuous by the absolute wanting of the 

 spurs. Together they form a very natural group, being distinguished from 

 the other Javan species by several mora or less important characters. 



The most important of these consists of the structure of the anther 

 (compare page 25). Here the spurs are either wanting or very short, while 

 the thecae run down along the face of the spurs or where these are wanting, 

 are bent backward along the base of the anther. Moreover the anther is not 

 attached to the filament about the middle of its back as in the other species 

 but very near the base though it is dorsifix and versatile, just as 

 there. A second point of difference is furnished by the staminodes, which in 

 the main of the species are longitudinally grooved, with a complicated top so 

 as to be folded up under the margins of the large and hooded fornicate dorsal 

 lobe of the corolla. In the present species these are straight not or very 

 little folded, and, in the expanded flower, are larger than the dorsal lobe. 

 As a character of less value I consider the bracts which are very numerous 



