The plant itself is almost lost in the rank herbage of the patinas, but its beautiful pink, hyacinth-shaped blossom attracts immediate attention.
Few plants combine beauty of appearance, scent and utility, but this is the perfection of each quality--nothing can surpass the delicacy and richness of its perfume.

It has two small bulbs about an inch below the surface of the earth, and these, when broken, exhibit a highly granulated texture, semi-transparent like half-boiled sago.

From these bulbs the arrowroot is produced by pounding them in water and drying the precipitated farina in the sun.
There are several beautiful varieties of orchidaceous plants upon the mountains; among others, several species of the dendrobium.

Its rich yellow flowers hang in clusters from a withered tree, the only sign of life upon a giant trunk decayed, like a wreath upon a grave.

The scent of this flower is well known as most delicious; one plant will perfume a large room.
There is one variety of this tribe in the neighborhood of Newera Ellia, which is certainly unknown in English collections.