326 
MARANTACE^. 
p 
Lestiboudois has endeavoured to show (Ann. des Sc. 20. 316.) that the 
anther of Canna does not consist of one lobe only ; his dissertation is a signal 
instance of confused reasoning and inaccurate observation. 
Agardh describes the albumen of Canna as a fungous elastic substance, 
formed of densely compact hyahne granules, white internally, gradually pass- 
ing through yellow and brown into black, and more analogous to an internal 
membrane than to albumen, because it undergoes httle change during germi- 
nation. But the albumen is better understood now than in 1823. See Intro- 
duction, and Key to Botany, par. 494, &c. 
Geography. The greater part are found in tropical America and 
Africa ; several are natives of India ; some are known in a wild state beyond 
the tropics. 
Properties. While the ginger tribe (Zingiberacese) is valued for its 
aromatic heating principle, the arrow-root tribe (Marantacese) is esteemed 
on account of the fsecula, which abounds in the rhizoma and root of both 
tribes, being destitute of that principle ; on this account it is collected as a 
delicate article of food, both from Maranta arundinacea, Allouyia, and nobilis 
in the West Indies, and also from Maranta ramosissima in the East. The 
fleshy cormus of some Gannas is reported to be eaten in Peru. A tough 
fibre is obtained from Phrynium dichotomum ; and the leaves of the South 
American Calatheas are worked into baskets, whence their name. The 
juice of Maranta arundinacea is said to be efficacious in poisoned wounds. 
Agdh. 
GENERA. 
Myrosma, L. f. Thalia, L. Maranta, L. 
Phrynium, Willd. Peronia, DC. Calathea, Meyer. 
Canna, L. 
Order CCXXXV. MUSACEiE. The Banana Tribe. 
MuSiE, Juss. Gen. (1789). — Musace^, Agardh Aph. 180. (1823) ; Ach. Rich. Nouv.EUm. 
ed. 4. 436. (1828) ; Endlicher Prodr. FI. Norf. 34. (1833). 
Essential Character. — Flowers spathaceous. Perianth 6-parted, superior, petaloid, 
in 2 distinct rows, more or less irregular. Stamens 6, inserted upon the middle of the 
divisions, some often becoming abortive; anthers linear, turned inwards, 2-celled, often 
having a membranous petaloid crest. Ovary inferior, 3-celled, many-seeded, rarely 3- 
seeded ; style simple; stigma usually 3-lobed. Fruit either a 3-celled capsule with a 
loculicidal dehiscence, or succulent and indehiscent. Seeds sometimes surrounded by 
