Flora Medica

AMOMUM.3-lobed concave crest. Ovary downy, crowned with the 2 sterilestamens which in this species are short and truncated. Capsules sessile,size of a black currant, globular, somewhat depressed. Seeds roundish,angular, dotted, brown. Seeds agreeably aromatic, used by theMalays as a substitute for the true Cardamoms of Malabar, the produceof Elettaria Cardamomum. Fruit said by Nees and Ebermaier to bethe round Cardamoms of the shops. According to Smith it is theAmomum verum of the old apothecaries. Rees cycL suppl.1195. A. angustifolium Sonnerat. it. ii. 1. 137. Roxb.fi. ind.i. 39. Smith in Rees cycl. suppl. Madagascar, in marshyground cultivated in the Mauritius.;Rhizoma horizontal, emitting strong fleshyfibres. Stems 6-10 feethigh. Leaves lanceolate, much acuminated, 12-18 inches long, 4-6inches broad. Scape radical, 6-12 inches long, closely imbricatedwith mucronate sheathing scales. Spikes linear-oblong, size of thethumb, imbricated with scales like those of the stem, but the innermore deeply coloured. Flowers pretty large, with a strong spicy fragrance.Calyx deep blood red, obscurely 3-toothed, slit. Tube ofcorolla clavate, length of bracts ;outer series red, consisting of onelarge erect concave segment which covers the anther and stigma, andof two inferior very narrow segments. Lip obovate wedge-shaped,3-lobed, yellow, about as long as the outer limb. Capsule ovate, pointed,striated. Seeds globular, abrupt at the base. Every part when bruisedor wounded diffuses a strong but pleasant aromatic smell. The fruit isthe Cardamomum majus of old authors, the great or Madagascar Cardamomof Smith. The seeds are said by the latter author to havenone of the vehement hot acrid taste of Grains of Paradise, AmomumGrana Paradisi, No. 1197.1 1 96. A. aromaticum Roxb. fl.ind. i. 45. Valleys on theeastern frontier of Bengal.Rhizoma running for a small extent under the surface of the soil.Stems in tufts, erect, from 2 to 3 feet high, and lasting from 1 to 2 years.Leaves bifarious, lanceolate, acuminate, smooth; from 10 to 12 incheslong, and from 2 to 4 broad. Spikes radical, imbricated, at first clavate,afterwards becoming roundish as the fruit advances. Scape from 1 to3 inches long, hid under the surface of the earth, and embraced bynumerous imbricated sheathing scales. Flowers of a middling size, paleyellow. Bracts 1-flowered, oblong, concave, smooth. Calyx cylindrical,entire or toothed, villous. Corolla with a long, slender tube ; segmentsof the outer series somewhat lanceolate, obtuse, the upper one rathervaulted over the stamina, and stigma. Lip nearly round, and undivided,tinged with red down the middle sterile stamens; altogether absent.Filament linear, incurved. Anther crowned with a 3-lobed crest.Ovary villous, 3-celled, with many ovules in each, attached to the axis.Capsule ovate, size of a large nutmeg, rather fleshy ; surface somewhatrugose, 3-valved, 3-celled. Seeds several in each cell ; oval, and obovateare the most prevailing forms. Fruit similar in quality to Cardamoms,for which it is sold to the druggists of India ;the seeds aresimilar in their shape and spicy flavour.1197. A. Grana Paradisi Linn. sp. plant. 2. Smith in ReesCyclop, suppl. N. and E. handb. i. 249. plant, med. t. 65.565 oo3