Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves stalked, with a swelling in the upper part of the stalk, penninerved. Inflorescence spicate, capitate, or paniculate. Flowers irregular and asymmetrical, hermaphrodite. Sepals free. Petals united below. Fertile stamen single, 1-celled. Staminodes 2-4, petal-like. Ovary inferior, 1-or 3-celled. Ovules solitary in each cell, inverted. Style simple; stigma entire or lobed. Seeds with a mealy albumen and a curved embryo.--Genera 12, species 60. Tropics. (Under _SCITAMINEAE_.) (Plate 25.) 1. Ovary 1-celled. [Tribe MARANTEAE.] 2 Ovary 3-celled, but the ovules of 2 cells sometimes abortive. [Tribe PHRYNIEAE.] 3 2. Corolla-tube very short. Staminodes 3, one of them with two filiform appendages. Fruit indehiscent. Bracts enclosing one pair of flowers each.--Species 7. Central Africa. Used as ornamental plants. =Thalia= L. Corolla-tube long. Staminodes 4. Fruit dehiscent. Bracts enclosing 3 pairs of flowers each.--Species 1 (_M. arundinacea_ L.) Cultivated and sometimes naturalised in the tropics. The root-stock contains starch (arrow-root). =Maranta= L. 3. Staminodes 2. Fruit winged. Inflorescence spike-like, springing from the root-stock. Bracts enclosing one pair of flowers each.--Species 1. West Africa. The fruits are edible and contain sugar. =Thaumatococcus= Benth. Staminodes 4, rarely 3. 4 4. Bracts approximated in one row, enclosing two pairs of flowers each. Ovary with 1 fertile and 2 sterile cells.--Species 1. Madagascar. (Under _Myrosma_ Benth. or _Phrynium_ Willd.) =Ctenophrynium= K. Schum. Bracts in two opposite rows. 5 5. Flower-pairs with small, thickened, almost gland-like scales inserted above the bracts and the 2-keeled bracteoles which usually accompany the bracts. 6 Flower-pairs without gland-like scales above the bracts and bracteoles. 8 6. Ovary and fruit smooth, the latter fleshy. Leaves having the larger half all on the same side. Herbs with a simple stem. Inflorescence panicle-, very rarely spike-like.--Species 13. West Africa. Some have edible fruits. (Under _Phrynium_ Willd. or _Phyllodes_ Lour.) =Sarcophrynium= K. Schum. Ovary and fruit covered with pointed protuberances, the latter dry. Leaves having the larger half some on the right, some on the left side. Undershrubs or climbing herbs with a branched stem. Inflorescence spike-like. 7 7. Fruit dehiscent, covered with small protuberances. Seeds with an aril. Flower-pairs without a bracteole.--Species 1. West Africa. (Under _Trachyphrynium_ Benth.) =Hybophrynium= K. Schum. [Illustration: MARANTACEAE. _FLOW. PL. AFR._ _Pl. 25._ J. Fleischmann del. Clinogyne arillata K. Schum. _A_ Flowering branch. _B_ Flower.] [Illustration: ORCHIDACEAE. _FLOW. PL. AFR._ _Pl. 26._ J. Fleischmann del. Listrostachys vesicata Reichb. fil. _A_ Plant in flower. _B_ Flower. _C_ Flower in longitudinal section (the spur cut off near the base).]