flowers ; and these leaves are often four or five times as large as 
the one here represented. The species is a native of tropical 
America, and was introduced to the Royal Gardens of Kew 
prior to the year 1710, from the West Indies, where, at least in 
Jamaica, according to Lunan, it is extensively cultivated as an 
esculent ; little, if at all, inferior to the Colocasia antiquorum ; 
“in wholesomeness and delicacy far superior to Spinach; and 
in this respect it may vie with any European vegetable. what- 
ever.” It flowers in our stoves during the winter months. | 
Descr. Young plants of this are stemless, but in age, from 
the decay of the old leaves, an annulated caudex is formed, some 
inches in height, each throwing out stout fibres from the base, 
and from time to time producing offsets, by which the plant is 
- easily propagated ; or if suffered to remain, the plant becomes 
tufted, and numerous leaves are produced from the summit of 
the short yet stem-like trunks. Zeaves, from a foot to two and 
almost three feet in length, broadly sagittato-ovate, suddenly 
and shortly acute at the point: the two lobes at the base broad- 
obtuse, between horizontal and deflexed: the costa, or principal 
midrib, is very stout and prominent, and sends two primary 
branches into the side-lobes : the secondary nerves diverge and 
anastomose ; those near the edge unite with an intramarginal 
vein: petiole inserted in the bottom of the sinus, longer than 
the blade, terete, much sheathing at the base, and enveloping 
the leaf-stalks immediately within them : all green. Peduncles 
several, stout, terete, shorter than tlie petiole, bearing a large 
spatha, eight to ten inches, or more, long. The base of this 
spatha, from its convolute character, forms an inflated green tube, 
this suddenly expands into the cream-white, ovate, very concave, 
and finely but shortly-acuminated Jimé. Spadix shorter than 
the spatha, subcylindrical. The lower portion is coated with the 
green ovaries, which are connected together at the collum or 
neck of the ovary, a fleshy disc surrounding the stigma (fig. 4) : 
these ovaries are subglobose, three- or four-celled, with many 
ovules. Above these, a space of two or three inches of the 
spadix is covered with abortive anthers of a flesh-colour, peltate 
fleshy bodies, plane at the top and angled at the sides: the rest 
of the spadix is entirely clothed with the peltate, yellowish, 
fleshy s¢amens, bearing the double cells of about five anthers at 
the sides, each opening by a pore at the apex. 
i - 
ae ¥. Poca nat. size. 2. Stamen. 3. Abortive stamen (from the middle 
OF” Spadix). 4. Two ovaries, showing how they are united at the collum or 
neck. 5. Transverse section of an ovary :—magnified. 
