zingibereæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A tribe of plants, of the order Zingiberaceæ, typified by the genus Zingiber. It is characterized by flowers with a tubular or spathaceous calyx and a single stamen, the two lateral undeveloped stamens being often represented by petaloid staminodes; and by an ovary with three cells or three parietal placentæ, and a slender free style which at its apex clasps the two anther-cells. It embraces 23 genera, principally tropical, including the large and important aromatic genera Amomum, Curcuma, and Alpinia (besides Zingiber), as also many of the most highly ornamental plants of the order.