Anamallay, in dense alpine forest, very abundant,
flowering in August and September.
When naming this plant, rather hurriedly, I fear,
I at once referred it to Maraniina, not duly bearing
in mind its petioled leaves, its several- not one-flowered
bracts, and its undivided lip—to which I might
have added geographical position, the true G. Maraniina
being an Eastern species, from the Moluccas,
while this is from the interior of Continental India.
I t is certainly, judging from description only, very
like the other, and may possibly be the G. bulbifera,
Roxb., but of it, the description is so imperfect that
I am unable to identify the two plants, and therefore
think it better to keep them distinct.
Considering the importance attached to modifications
of the anther in this family, this seems, with its
congeners, well entitled to form the type of a genus.
As compared with the following, a true Globba, these
differences are most conspicuous; and, added to the
habit observed in all three, of forming tubers in place
of flowers in the lower bracts of the spike afford
strong grounds for separation. At a very early stage
of Roxburgh’s career he seems to have been of this
opinion and apparently sent Home specimens of his
G. bulbifera under the name of Colebrookia, an undefined
name long ago published by Mr. James Donn
in his Cambridge Catalogue, but never taken up and
since superseded by Roxb. and Smith’s Colebrookia,
a genus of Labiate*.
2002. Globba ophioglossa (R. W.), leaves short
petioled, acuminate, glabrous; panicles terminal: lip
linear pointed, deeply cleft; interior lobes (petals)
linear lanceolate: capsule globose, smooth.
Malabar, Anamallay Hills, &c.
This though, in appearance, like G. orixensis and
Careyana is, I believe, quite distinct from both. I
have named it with reference to its long deeply two-
cleft lip, a character of some value when added to
the naked anther. The leaves are perfectly glabrous
on both sides. The perianth in both this and
the preceding is thickly dotted with red, resinous,
shining translucent points. I t has no trace of exterior
bracts and tubers, similar to the preceding, and
as regards inflorescence, so different that it may well
be placed in different genera.
2003. Zingiber zerumbet (J . E. Smith), stems
declinate, leaves sessile lanceolar : spike long pedun-
cled, oval, compact, obtuse: bracts broad obovate
obtuse, margins coloured: lip 3-lobed. Roxb. FI.
Ind. 1. 47.
Anamallay Hills, in dense forests, frequent, flowering
during the rainy season, August and September.
This is an extensively diffused species. Roxburgh
assigns the woods about Calcutta as its Bengal station
; in the Southern forests, I fancy it extends nearly
as far south as Cape Comorin. The head of flowers
is supported on a stalk springing direct from the root,
from 2 to 3 feet long, sheathed, its whole length, in
scariose rudimentary leaves, and along side of it
grows the proper leaf-bearing stalk. This, therefore,
is as much a root flowering species as the next,
the length of the peduncle being the only difference.
2004- Zingiber squarrosum (Roxb.), leaves lanceolar
: spikes squarrose, half immersed in the ea rth :
bracts linear, with a long waved tapering point: lip
3-lobed, apex bifid.
Abundant in the Anamallay forests, also on Bolam-
putty Hills near Coimbatore, flowering from July to
November.
This is a large species forming by its underground
progression large patches. In favourable spots the
stems attain a height of from 4 to 6 or even 8 feet.
The spikes seem to continue enlarging indefinitely
all the growing season as I have seen many that
measured at least a foot in diameter. They ripen
their seed abundantly and when mature, and the capsules
burst, showing the numerous seed, each clothed
with a large pure white saccate arillus, and the deep
crimson of the inner surface of the capsule, they form
a beautiful object. When the drawing was made
they were not so far advanced, and when sent to the
lithographer the deficiency could not be supplied.
2005. Curcuma aromatica (Salisb. C. Zedoaria,
Roxb.), bulbs small and, w ith the long palmate tubers,
inwardly yellow: leaves broad lanceolar, sessile on
their sheaths, sericeous underneath : except the spike,
the whole plant of a uniform green. Roxb.
Malabar, frequent, flowering from April or May
until August or September.
This plant very generally agrees with Roxburgh’s
description, even down to minute particulars, still
I do not feel certain that it actually is his species.
If, however, it is not, it is so near that actual comparison
of specimens must determine the differences.
The bracts of the spike are pale green below, gradually
passing into deeper pink until the last are
almost crimson. The outer perianth is pink, and
inner and lip yellow.
The genus Curcuma, so far as regards the determination
of species, is rather difficult, but to distinguish
a Curcuma from any other genus of the order
is easy after any one of its species is known. The
peculiar formation of the spike, and very characteristic
bracteal sacks which are common to all, proclaim
at a glance the genus. I make this remark
under this species, because it is better shown here
than in the other, but the difference is in the drawing
not in nature, for with the plant in hand there is
no mistaking the genus though, as respects the species,
it may still be a question whether I have
judged rightly, in making it a new species. One very
objectionable set of specific characters has been had
recourse to for distinguishing the species, those, namely,
taken from the roots. To my mind, such characters
are objectionable as being parts beyond the
reach of observation in the growing plant, and as not
being preservable in the dried one. The habit and
foliage is certainly much alike in all the species, but
doubtless, if carefully studied, the bracts and flowers
would be found to furnish better ones, and not liable
to the above objections. Neither having roots nor
growing plants before me, I find it most difficult to
indicate characters by which the following species
can be distinguished from the 20 others of the genus,
though, so far as I can detect, it does not accord with
any of them.
2006. Curcuma N eilgherrensis (R. W.), bulbs ?
leaves scarcely petioled, lanceolate, somewhat cuspidate,
glabrous: spikes scarcely rising above the
ground, compact: limb of the bracts prolonged, sub-
lanceolate, obtuse, longer than the flowers, reflexed:
outer lobes of the perianth linear cuspidate, inner