6 



Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



Stems four or five fieet high. Leaves alternate, bifarious, 

 long petioled on their sheaths, broad-lanceolate, fine pointed, 

 entire, parallel veined, smooth above, slightly tomentose 

 beneath. Sheaths villous near the top, terminating above 

 the petioles in a long ciliate ligula. Raceme terminal, com- 

 pound, inclining, red. Flowers in heads which are embraced 

 by large round bracts. Calyx tubular, three-cornered, 

 nearly entire. Corolla, outer limb three-parted, the upper 

 segment fornicate ; the inner limb unilabiate, of one large 

 colored segment. Stamen one ; anther two-lobed, naked. 

 Ovary tomentose, three-celled. Style slender. Stigma 

 concave. 



Obs. — The peculiar manner in which the involucral bracts 

 embrace the capitulate flowers and subdivisions of the 

 panicle, forms a good distinctive character. The whole 

 inflorescence is stiff and rigid, and wants that copiousness 

 and richness which marks the greater part of this splendid 

 genus. 



HEDYCHIUM SUMATRANUM. (W. J,) 

 N. O. Scitamineae, 



Spica imbricata nutante, corollae labio bifido, laciniis ob- 

 longis divergentibus. 



Gandasuli Utan. Malay, 



From Salumah on the west coast of Sumatra. 



Stem erect. Leaves alternate, short petioled on their 

 sheaths, lanceolate, very entire, very smooth, parallel vein- 

 ed ; above a foot in length. Sheaths smooth, prolonged into 

 a very long ligula. Spike terminal, nodding, short, dense, 

 strobiliform. Bracts lanceolate, as long as the calyx ; within 

 this the ovary is embraced by a tubular bract about half the 

 length of the other. Flowers numerous. Calyx superior, 

 tubular, oblique at the mouth. Corolla long, outer limb 

 three parted, with long narrow segments ; two segments of 

 the interior limb much shorter and broader ; the third seg- 



