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limiting the genera and does not give distinctive diagnoses of Kaempferia 

 and Gaslrochilus in tiis sense. 



On tlie otlicr liand Schumann based Iiis limitation of Kaempferia 

 and Gastrochiliis solely upon the presence or absence of an anthercrest, 

 a character the uselessness of which he himself demonstrates in Alpinia. 

 In the same time he accepts in Kaempferia two species wanting a crest 

 {K. Prainiana Bak. and K. campanulata K. Sch) and in Gastrochiliis one 

 species with a distinct crest (G. Curtisii Bak.) So his system condemns 

 itself. 



In order to procure an opinion about the question, 1 examined speci- 

 mens of several species of Gastrochilus in the sense of Ridley and of the 

 following incontested Kaempferia spec: K. galanga, K. rotunda, pulchra, 

 K. angiistifolia and came to the conclusion that the latter ones form a very 

 well limited group to v^hlch aho belong K. elegans, K. Candida, K. Roscoeana 

 K. secunda, K. atrovirens, K.fissa, of which i saw the pictures, and some more. 



To the contrary G. pandurata, G. Curtisii, G. grandifoliiim (with 

 many others posessing a crested connective) are all so similar in con- 

 struction to the two typespecies of Gastrochilus Wall and so different 

 from any true Kaempferia, that it is easy to define the genera Koempfeiia 

 and Gastrochilus in such a manner that two very natural genera are formed, 

 without any consideration of the absence or presence of a crest. 



The differential characteristics of these two genera will be shown by 

 the following comparison. 



Inflorescence: 



Gastrochilus: Either a terminal unilateral elongate or abbreviate dense 

 flowered spike enclosed by the leafsheath or an axillary very slender bilateral 

 spike with a few distant mostly coloured bracts. 



Kaempferia: a terminal head or fascicle, flowers spirally on the fleshy 

 torus, involucrate by the exterior larger flowerbracts or by two larger spe- 

 cial bracts. 



Bracts : 



Gastrochilus: Each flower enclosed by a bract and a bracteole resem- 

 bling one another. 



Kaempferia: Each flower accompanied by a bract and two smaller 

 bracteoles connate at their base or almost over their whole length. 



Flower: 



Gastrochilus: Flower bilabiate ringent, corolla lobes connivent, dorsal 

 lobe erect, anterior lobes patent. 



Kaempferia: Flower often subcircular with a very small mouth, lobes 

 elongate convolute patent. 



Staminodes : 



Gastrochilus: Staminodes shorter than the lip and often than the. 



