Tab. 7211. 



ARISiEMA ANOMALUM. 

 Native of the Malay Peninsula 



Nat. Ord. Aroide^e. — Tribe Auine^e. 

 Genua Aris.ejia, Mart. ; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. vol. iii. p. 965.) 



AiusjEMa anomalum; rhizomate deformi plurifoliato et plurifloro, foliis 

 scapisque remotis, vaginis elongatis, petiolo gracili 3- rarius 5-foliato, 

 foliolis aubsessilibus conformibus ovatis teauiter acuminatis nervoais, 

 scapo petiolo ffiquilongo v. longiore pallido brunneo 3triato, spathae 

 tubo cylindraceo pallido fusso-purpureo faaciato, limbo brevi dilatato 

 galeato-fornicato incurvo acuminato acumine ascendente, oria margiaibus 

 latiuscule evertis et recurvia, apadicibus masculia v. androgynia, organibns 

 neutria aupra maacula v. cum iia immixtis aubulatis, fl. misc. parvis 

 stipitatis tetrathecis, ovariis dense congestis globoaia, stigmate seasili 

 penicillato, ovulis numerosia, appendice parte florifera spadicia asquilonga 

 sessili subulata inclusa. 



A. anomalum, Hemsl. ia Journ. Bot. 18S7, p. 205; N. E. Br. in Gard. Chron. 

 1890, vol. i. p. 321. 



In mode of growth this Ariscema, as Mr. Brown pointed 

 out in the Gardener's Chronicle, differs from all others 

 hitherto described, for instead of having a solitary annual 

 tuber, it presents an elongated stout subterranean root- 

 stock, which bears tubers (or tuberous branches) of 

 irregular shape that give origin some to a leaf, others to a 

 flowering scape. And as the rootstock continues to grow 

 for a long period (at least under cultivation) and the leaves 

 are of longer duration than the flowers, the whole plant 

 presents the remarkable phenomenon of being always in 

 leaf, and often in flower also. Further information re- 

 garding the periodicity of leafing and flowering would be 

 very interesting, and especially as to whether the develop- 

 ment of leaf and flower are cotemporaneous, and if not in 

 what order they appear. As far as it is at present known 

 the rhizome bears leaves and flowers alternately, though in 

 some cases both may proceed from one branch or tuber of 

 the rhizome. M. Hemsley suggests that Ariscema Wrayi 

 (Tab. 7105), may have the same root structure. Mr. 

 Brown, who has made a careful study of the living plant, 



December 1st 1891. 



