ARUM TRIPHYLLUM. 
the end, and contracted near the base, where it is surrounded 
by the stamens or germs in the dicecious plants, and by both 
in the moneecious, the female organs being below the male. 
‘The spathe and upper portion of the spadix gradually decay, 
while the germs are converted into a compact bunch of shin- 
ing scarlet berries. The leaves, which are usually one or two 
in number, and stand on long, sheathing footstalks, are com- 
posed of three ovate-accuminate leaflets, paler on their under 
than their upper surface, and becoming glaucous as the plant 
advances. 
The flowering system of the plants of this tribe presents 
many points of interest. On opening the spathe, it is found 
to be whitish in its interior, and closely surrounding a central 
column or spadix, on which the minute flowers are crowded. 
On detaching these are found at the bottom several tiers of 
round ovaria, which do not possess any proper style or stig- 
ma, but have a sort of puckering at their points, which serves 
the purpose of the latter. Each is one-celled and contains 
two erect ovules. Above, there are two or three rows of abor- 
tive or undeveloped ovaria, in the form of horned pear-shaped 
bodies. Above these, again, there is a crowd of stamens with 
very short filaments, and these are surmounted by another 
cluster of abortive ovaria. Here, accordingly, is a large clus- 
ter of pistilliferous and staminiferous flowers, in which the 
floral envelopes are entirely wanting, and in which, therefore, 
the separate flowers can scarcely be distinguished. Each 
ovarium, however, is the essential part of a pistilline flower, 
whilst every cluster of anthers is the essential part of a sta- 
mineous flower, so that here are the most necessary organs 
of fructification reduced almost to the lowest condition in 
which they can exist. ci? Lauiteyaty 
CHEMICAL AND MEDICAL PROPERTIES AND USES. 
an unpleasant soreness behind. ' 
