Herbs. Stem simple, springing from a root-stock. Leaves stalked or provided with a sheath, oblong or lanceolate. Flowers in spikes racemes heads or panicles, more or less irregular, hermaphrodite, very rarely dioecious. Perianth consisting of a calyx and a corolla. Sepals united below. Petals subequal, united below. Fertile stamen 1. Anther 2-celled, opening by longitudinal slits. Staminodes 1-3, petal-like, at least one of them (the lip). Ovary inferior, more or less completely 3-celled. Ovules numerous. Style enclosed in a groove of the filament. Stigma funnel-shaped. Fruit a capsule or a berry. Seed with a straight embryo and mealy albumen.--Genera 11, species 120. Tropical and South-east Africa. (Under _SCITAMINEAE_.) (Plate 24.) 1. Leaves spirally arranged; sheath at first closed, articulated with the petiole. Filaments petal-like. Lateral staminodes wanting. Epigynous glands none. Stem and leaves not aromatic.--Species 35. Central Africa. Some of them are used as ornamental or medicinal plants and in the preparation of rubber. (Including _Cadalvena_ Fenzl). [Subfamily =COSTOIDEAE=.] =Costus= L. Leaves two-ranked; sheath split open, not articulated with the petiole. Epigynous glands present, often style-like. Stem and leaves aromatic. [Subfamily =ZINGIBEROIDEAE=.] 2 2. Lateral staminodes petal-like, but sometimes adnate to the lip, which then appears 3-lobed. [Tribe HEDYCHIEAE.] 3 Lateral staminodes linear, tooth-like, or wanting; in the latter case lip not distinctly 3-lobed. [Tribe ZINGIBEREAE.] 5 3. Connective spurred. Lateral staminodes adnate below to the filament of the fertile stamen.--Species 1 (_C. longa_ L.). Cultivated and sometimes naturalised in the tropics. The root-stock yields starch, condiments, medicaments, perfumes, and dyeing-materials (turmeric); the leaves are used for plaiting-work. =Curcuma= L. Connective not spurred. Lateral staminodes free from the filament of the fertile stamen. 4 4. Connective with a crest-like appendage. Filament short. Lateral staminodes broad.--Species 15. Central and South-east Africa. Some are used as ornamental plants. =Kaempfera= L. Connective without an appendage. Filament long. Lateral staminodes narrow. Inflorescence terminating the leafy stem.--Species 3, two of them natives of Madagascar, the third naturalised in the tropics. Ornamental plants; the tubers yield condiments, perfumes, and medicaments. =Hedychium= Koen. 5. Connective with a distinct appendage. Flowering stem separated from the leafy stem. 6 Connective without a distinct appendage. 8 [Illustration: MUSACEAE. _FLOW. PL. AFR._ _Pl. 23._ J. Fleischmann del. Strelitzia Reginae Banks ex Ait. _A_ Plant in flower. _B_ Flower cut lengthwise. _C_ Stamens and inner petals.] [Illustration: ZINGIBERACEAE. _FLOW. PL. AFR._ _Pl. 24._ J. Fleischmann del. Aframomum Laurentii (De Wild. & Dur.) K. Schum. _A_ Leaf. _B_ Inflorescence. _C_ Flower cut lengthwise. _D_ Lower part of the flower cut lengthwise.]