No. 11. ARU««*. 67' 



Scape or leafless stem, tunicated at the base by vagi- 

 nated membranaceous acute sheaths, supporting one 

 large upright spathe, tubular at the base, hooded at 

 the top, either green or purple, or variegated with 

 both colours in stripes within. Spadix cylindric, ob- 

 tuse at the top, also variable in colour, bearing the 

 flowers at the base where it is contracted. Some plants 

 have only stamina, others pistils, and others have 

 both, wherefore it is polygamous trioicious. Anthers 

 two or four on short crowded filaments. Pistils crowd- 

 ed below, round, without styles, stigma punctiform. 

 Sometimes abortive pistils and stamina intermixed. 

 The upper part of the spadix withers with the spathe, 

 while the pistils grow into a liirge compact head of 

 shining scarlet berries. 



HISTORY — Arum is the type of a natural family, 

 the Aroipes, among Monocotyle plants. In theLin- 

 naean system it has been put in Gynandy^ia or in Po- 

 li/andria ; yet many species are polygamous. Lin- 

 na^ius did very improperlj^, and against his own bota- 

 nical rules, change the previous name of Tournefort 

 Arisariim into Arirmy which is a mere termination 

 of many otlier genera, Asaru7n, Comarum^ Sic. : 

 tTiphyllum means three leaved. 



The A. tryphillum blossoms w^ith us from May to 

 July, and in the summer bears its bright scarlet ber- 

 ries. The vulgar names are common to all the North 

 'American species, which have similar roots. Their 

 leaves are sensible to a harsh grasp like Onoclea sen- 

 sibilis^ and the A. draconfAum coils them when pluck- 



ed. 



rendej'od 



