Rynchospora CYPERACEAE-ARACEAE AcoruS 



1. Rynchospora glauca Vahl var. chinensis (Boeckeler) C.B. Clarke Mf'J^ (Jung 

 Tz'u Ts'ao; Woolly-thorn Grass) (H.F. 6: 672). Slender, to 9 dm.; fr. dark brown, 

 X. Warm countries; locally in Ki. Moist ground. 



2. Rynchospora rubra (Lour.) Mak. (M.F. 119). Slender, with lvs. at the base, 5 dm. 

 high; fr. brown, VIII-X. Tropical and subtropical countries of the Old World; 

 locally in Ki., Ku. Brushland. 



180. PALMAE Palm Family WMH (Tsung Lu K'o) 

 Mostly erect shrubs or trees, sometimes climbing, with solid stems and alternate 

 palm-like lvs.: lvs. palmate or pinnate, with sheathing petioles: infl. in many-fid. 

 panicles or spikes from large sheathing bracts (spathes): perianth of 6 segments; 

 stamens usually 3 or 6; ovary superior, 1-3-celled; stigmas 3: fr. a 1-3-celled drupe. 

 200 genera with 1500 species, mostly tropical; 10 genera and over 20 species in China. 



1. Trachycarpus Wendl. WMM (Tsung Lu Shu) 

 Monoecious or polygamous trees with spineless trunk and plicate palmate lvs.; 

 the petioles spinulose or roughened in lower part or near base: infl. brg. with numerous 

 small yellow 6-merous fls.: stamens 6; ovaries 3, united at the base. 5 species, in 

 eastern Asia and the Himalayas; 2 in China. (From the Greek terms meaning "rough" 

 and "fruit." 



1. Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) Wendl. (T. excelsus Wendl.) Windmill Palm £j£ 

 (Tsung Lu; Coir Palm) (B.M. 167). Tree, to 8m.; fls. yellow, IV-V; fr. dry, 

 VIII-X. China and Japan; locally in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Planted. Fig. 464. 



181. ARACEAE Arum Family ^FgJL^f (Tien Nan Hsing K'o) 

 Perennial herbs (ours) with acrid or sometimes milky juice and alternate coriaceous 

 jvs., from rhizomes or corms; the tissues bearing abundant slender rhaphides: infl. a 

 spadix, usually enclosed by a spathe: fls. small, sessile: fr. a 1-many-seeded berry. 

 105 genera with nearly 1,500 species, mostly tropical, but some widely distributed; 13 

 genera and 40 species in China. 



Key to the Genera 

 A. Lvs. narrow, sword-like: spadix cylindric, not enclosed in a spathe; 



fls. bisexual {Pothoideae) 1. Acorus 



AA. Lvs. broad, not sword-like, simple or compound: spadix cylindric, 

 enclosed by a spathe. 

 B. Fig. peduncle separate, appearing in advance of the lvs. : spathes 



very large (Lasioideae) 2. AmorphophaUus 



BB. Fig. peduncles appearing with or after the lvs. 



Lvs. simple, entire, large, ovate-cordate, peltate: blades of 

 the spathes yellow: appendage of the spadix short or 



none (Colocasioideae) 3. Colocasia 



Lf. blades lobed or divided (except in some Pinellia): spathes 

 greenish, brownish or purple: appendages various, usually 

 well-developed (Aroideae). 

 Ovary with several ovules: fr. a few-seeded berry: staminate 



and pistillate fls. contiguous on the spadix 4. Arisaema 



Ovary with one ovule: fr. a one-seeded berry: staminate 

 and pistillate fls. separated on the spadix by a naked 

 band and by a septum of the spathe 5. Pinellia 



498 



