614 
ZEA 
(unripe cobs) forms a favourite vegetable ; the leaves are useful as 
fodder, the dry cobs as firing ; the spathes are used in paper-making, 
and so on. [See Harshberger’s monograph (botanical and economic) 
in Contrib . from the Bot. Laboratory of the Univ. of Pennsylvania 
I. 1893.] 
Zelkova Spach. Ulmaceae (11). 4 sp., 1 each in Crete, Caucasus, 
China, Japan. The timber of the last two is valuable for turning &c. 
[Urticaceae, Benth.-Hooker ; see Ulmaceae.] 
Zephyranthes Herb. Amaryllidaceae (1). 30 sp. trop. Am. 
Zeuxine Lindl. Orchidaceae (4). 20 sp. trop. Afr. to E. Ind. 
Zingiber Adans. Zingiberaceae. 20 sp. E. Ind., Malay Arch., China, 
Japan, Polynes., Mascarenes. The labellum is large; opp. to it are 
the style and the petaloid fertile sta. The stigma has many rays. 
Z. officinale Rose, is the ginger ; it is always reproduced by vegetative 
methods, and is now quite sterile (cf. Musa). It is largely culti- 
vated ; the rhizomes are dug up and killed by immersion in boiling 
water. According to whether the rind is or is not scraped off, the 
product is known as ‘coated ’ or ‘scraped’ ginger. 
Zingiberaceae. Monocotyledons (Scitamineae). 24 gen. with 275 sp. 
trop., chiefly Indo-mal. Perennial herbs usually with sympodial 
fleshy rhizomes and often with tuberous roots. The aerial stem, if 
any, is short ; sometimes an apparent stem is formed as in Musa by 
the rolled-up leaf-sheaths. Leaves 2 -ranked, with short stalks and 
sheathing bases. At the top of the sheath is 
a characteristic ligule (cf. Gramineae). Firs, 
in racemes, heads, or cymes. Their mor- 
phology has been much discussed (see Eichler’s 
Bliithendiag. or Nat. Pff.)> The bracteole is 
often sheathing (as in fig.). K (3), the odd 
one anterior, C 3, usually different in colour 
and texture from the outer perianth-leaves. 
Of the possible 6 members of the androeceum 
(two whorls), the posterior one of the inner 
whorl is present as a fertile stamen, and the 
other two of this whorl are united to form the 
petaloid labellum (not equivalent to that of nealmia, modified from 
Orchids) ; the anterior sta. of the outer whorl ^ lchl ff’ Rowing bract > 
' \ sheathing bracteole, calvx, 
is always absent ; the other two may be absent corolla, labellum (lab), &c. 
(as in Renealmia) or may be present as large 
leafy staminodes right and left of the fertile sta. (compare carefully with 
Cannaceae and Marantaceae). G (3)) 3-loc., with 00 anatropous or 
semi-anatropous ovules. Fruit usually a loculicidal capsule. Seeds 
with perisperm. The order contains several economic plants ; see 
Curcuma, Costus, Alpinia, Zingiber, Amomum, Elettaria. 
Chief genera : Curcuma, Hedychium, Costus, Alpinia, Renealmia, 
Zingiber, Amomum, Elettaria, Globba, Mantisia. Placed in Sci- 
