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Curcuma (From Kurkum its Arabic name)

(from Kurkum, its Arabic name). Turmeric. ORD. Scitamineae. A genus of above thirty interesting stove herbaceous plants. Flowers in spikes, with concave bracts; calyx tubular, three-toothed; tube of corolla dilated above, five lobes equal, lip larger and spreading; filament petaloid, three-lobed at the top, with a two spurred anther on the middle lobe. They do well in a compost of loam and peat, in proportions of two-thirds of the latter to one of the former, to which may be added a little sand. Propagated by root divisions. C. albiflora (white-flowered).* fl. white, yellow. July. l. longstalked, glabrous, somewhat plaited parallel to the nerves, deep green above, paler beneath. h. 2ft. Ceylon, 1862. (B. M. 5909.) C. australasica (Australian).* fl. yellow; spikes many-flowered; upper bracts rose-coloured, forming a pretty crown to the inflorescence. l. oblong-lanceolate, light green. Australia, 1867. (B. M. 5620.) C. cordata (heart-shaped).* fl. reddish-yellow; spikes central; bracts ovate-obtuse; tuft at top of spike violaceous. July. l. ovate-cordate, acuminate, clothed with silky hairs. h. 1ft. East Indies, 1846. (B. M. 4435.) C. elata (tall). fl. crimson; spikes lateral. May. l. sessile, villous beneath, green. h. 3ft. East Indies, 1819.

C. leucorhiza (white-rooted). fl. reddish-yellow; spikes lateral, few-flowered, comose. may. l. smooth, pure green. h. 1ft. East Indies, 1819. C. longa (long). fl., spikes central. August. l. long-stalked, broad, green. h. 2ft. East Indies, 1759. (B. M. Pl. 269.) C. petiolata (petiolate).* fl. pale yellow; spikes 5in. or 6in. long, on a stout peduncle; bracts rosy-purple, shortly ovate. September. l. rather large, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at the base. h. 1 1/2ft. Pegu, 1869. (B. M. 5821.) C. Roscoeana (Roscoe's).* fl. scarlet; bracts bright orange; spike nearly 1ft. long. August. l. large, oblong, about 1 1/2ft. across. h. 1ft. East Indies, 1837. A very handsome species. (B. M. 4667.) C. rubricaulis (red-stemmed).* fl. red; spikes lateral. May. l. stalked, oblong, with red sheaths. h. 1ft. East Indies, 1822. C. Zedoaria (Zedoary). fl. red; spikes lateral. April to August. l. broad, sessile, silky beneath. h. 3ft. East Indies, 1797. (B. M. 1546.)