302 FLORA HISTOR1CA. 



curiously spotted like the belly of a snake, and 

 from hence it is called the Dragon Arum. The 

 calyx or spathe is very large when growing in a 

 rich moist soil, and being of a fine claret colour 

 within, and enclosing a large spadix of the same 

 colour, it has an uncommon appearance, and should, 

 therefore, for its odd, capricious shape not be altoge- 

 ther neglected, although when in flower its strong 

 carrion-like scent is certainly disagreeable. 



There is a species of Arum which grows in the 

 morasses about Magellan's Strait, in South Ame- 

 rica, whose flowers exhibit the appearance of an 

 ulcer, and exhale so strong an odour of putrid flesh, 

 that the flesh-flies resort to it to deposit their eggs. 

 Pliny says that the smell of the common Dragon 

 Arum is so offensive as to be even dangerous to 

 pregnant ladies. He tells us, also, that it was a 

 common practice in his day to carry about the per- 

 son a part of the root of this plant as a preventive 

 against serpents, which he affirms will not come 

 near any one who has taken this precaution. (Book 

 xxiv. chap. 16.) 



This singular exotic is so hardy that it will grow 

 in any soil and situation ; and it propagates itself 

 so fast by offsets from the root, that there is no 

 occasion to give directions for its increase by seed. 

 It should be removed in autumn when the leaves 

 are decayed. 



