Amomum
(from a, not, and momos, impurity; in reference to the quality of counteracting poison). ORD. Scitamineae. Stove, deciduous, herbaceous perennials, chiefly aromatic, formerly used in embalming. Flowers produced close to the ground, in spikes or clusters, bracteate. Leaves distichous, sheathing at the base, lanceolate, entire. For culture, see Alpinia. A. angustifolium (narrow-leaved).* fl. sometimes of a uniform chrome-yellow, sometimes crimson, with the labellum of a yellow colour, more or less pale, and sometimes entirely crimson; scape naked, from 3in. to 8in. in length; spike capitate. July. l. linearlanceolate. h. 8ft. Madagascar. A. Cardamomum (Cardamom).* fl. brownish; lip three-lobed, spurred; scape compound, flexuous, procumbent. August. h. 8ft. East Indies, 1823. A. Danielli (Daniel's). fl. 4in. across; outer sepals fine red; the spreading labellum whitish, tinged with rose and yellow; scape short, arising from the bottom of the stem. l. oblong-lanceolate, 9in. long. h. 2 1/2ft. Western Africa.
A. grandiflorum (large-flowered). fl. white, numerous, close, spike short. June. l. elliptic-lanceolate, pointed. h. 3ft. Sierra Leone, 1796. A. Granum Paradisi.* Grains of Paradise. fl. white, tinged with yellow and rose. l. elliptic-lanceolate, long-pointed. Stems very red at base, and dull purplish-red above from the long, sheathing leafstalks. h. 3ft. West Africa. A. Melegueta (Melegueta).* Grains of Paradise. fl. pale pink, solitary, with an orbicular, irregularly toothed lip. May. l. narrow, linear-elliptic, distichous, sessile. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Sierra. Leone, 1869. Habit creeping. A. sceptrum (sceptre). fl. bright rose purple, large, sub-erect; the most conspicuous portion is the lip, which is 2 1/2in. in diameter; flower-scapes 6in. high. January. l. narrow, oblong-lanceolate, h. 5ft. to 6ft. Old Calabar, 1863.
A. vitellinum (yolk-of-egg-coloured). fl. yellow; lip oblong, obtuse, toothed; spike oblong, sessile, rather loose. April l. oval. h. 2ft. East Indies, 1846. Plant stemless, glabrous.