in all their parts than the species now described, have 
leaves with a much shorter space between the ligula and 
lamina, and a far more compound inflorescence. 
Mr. Brown observes, that the genus Hellenia is most 
nearly related to Alpinia, from which it differs in having 
the filament not longer than the anthera, and in the 
texture of the capsule. Amomum differs in its spiked 
inflorescence, which terminates a radical scape, and in the 
3-lobed process of the filament; for the appendices of the 
base of this plant, which have been described by Roscoe, 
Smith, and Sims, seem to be only rudiments of the lateral 
segments of the inner limb; they also occur in Alpinia 
and Hellenia, and possibly in every genus of the order in 
which the inner limb is in like manner one-lipped, as in 
Elettari of Rheede, which is the Amomum repens of Son- 
nerat. This plant appears, from Sonnerat’s own specimens 
in the Banksian Herbarium, to be distinguished from 
Alpinia only by its inflorescence, for which cause, however, 
it was formerly separated, and not without reason, by 
Adanson. Curcuma differs in its inflorescence, in the 
lateral segments of the inner limb being broader, taken, 
perhaps, by Mr. Roscoe for appendages of the fila- 
ment, and also in its calcarate anthers. Zingiber is distin-, 
guished by its inflorescence, and by the subulate process 
of the filament. Costus may be distinguished by its inflo- 
rescence, by its petaloid filament, broadly lengthened 
beyond the intramarginal anther, and especially by the 
structure of its vagina, which forms above the insertion 
of the leaf a sort of ocrea; by which note it may be 
known at first sight, even out of flower, from all other 
Scitaminez. 
Stem erect, simple, smooth, coloured with red. Leaves 
sheathing, with a spht vagina, and a ligulate end, ovate- 
lanceolate, acuminate, smooth, whole-coloured, separated 
at the base from the vagina by a short round space, and 
hence seeming, as it were, stalked. Panicle terminal, 
contracted, many-flowered. Bractee ovate-lanceolate, 
shorter than the flowers. J/owers stalked. Ovarium round. 
Tube of the flower white, with the outer limb 3-fid, becoming 
withered ; the inner one-lipped, with a little tooth on each 
side at the base, oblong, red, emarginate, with a discoloured 
brown discus. Style nearly smooth. a pt 
J.L. 
