JJ20 CXXXIV. ARACEiE. Callav 



the edge. Scape 8--12' high, erect, round, embraced at the base by the long' 

 sheaths of the petioles. Leaves 3, on long stalks, each consisting ot 3 smooth 

 leaflets 2—7' long, 3 as wide. Spathe green without, usually variegated within 

 with stripes of dark purple alternating v/ilh pale green. Spadix much shorter 

 than ihe spathe varying from green to dark purple. Fruit a bunch of bright 

 scarlet berries. The corm loses its fiercely acrid principle by drying, and is . 

 then valued as a'carminative, &c. May, June. 



/J. atrorubens. DcAvey. (A. atrorubens. L.) Spathe sessile, spreading hori- 

 zontally above, dark brov/n.— Plant rather smaller, and with a disagreeable odor. 



3. A. Dracontium. Gree^i Dragon. 



Acaulescent ; //. mostly solitary, pedate ; Ifis. oblong-lanceolate ; spadvx 

 subulate, longer than the convolute, oblong spathe.— Less common in N. Eng. 

 than the 'former species, found in wet places, banks of streams, U. S. Stem a 

 fleshy, subterraneous corm. Scape slender, 6—12' high. Leaf on an erect, 

 sheathino' petiole, which is dichotomous above, each half bearing 2—4 leaflet:? 

 with an odd one at the fork. Leaflets rather smaller than in A. triphyUum. 

 Spathe green, 1 — 2' long, rolled into a tube at base. SpadLx slender, with its 

 long, tapering point much exserted. Fruit a bunch of red berries. June, July, 



2. PELTANDRA. Raf. 



Gr. Trty.Tr], a shield or target, Rv^pEf , stamens ; from the character. 



Spatlie convolute ; spadix covered with flowers, staminate above,, 

 pistillate below ; periautli ; stamens peltate ; berry I-celled, 1-seed- . 

 ed.— '^. 



P. ViRGriNiCA. Raf (Arum. Linn. Calla. Bio. Lecontia. Conpcr. Rensse- 

 laeria. Beck. Caladium. Z^mrf/.) — Acaulescent; Ins. oblong, hastate-cordate,, 

 acute at apex, the lobes obtuse; spalke elongated, incurved ; spadix covered with 

 staminate flowers the greater part of its length.— A smooth, dark gieen plant, 

 in wet grounds, N. Y. and Ms. to Car. Leaves radical, numerous, 8 — 12' long, 

 ■J as wide, on petioles as long as the scapes. Scapes many from the same root, 



8 15^ long. Spathe closely involving the spadix, green, 2—3' long, lanceolate, 



wavy on the margin. Spadix slender, acuminate, shorter than the spathe, 

 bearing the ovaries and finally the berries in a dense cltister at its base. June. 

 It is to be hoped that this persecuted plant will soon find, if it has not here found,, 

 a permanent abode. Jl. 



3. CALLA. 



Gr. KoWoi, beautiftil ; a terra well applied. 



Spathe ovate, spreading ; spadix covered with flowers, staminate 

 intermixed with, or above the pistillate ; perianth ; berry many- 

 seeded. — % Aquatic herbs. 



1. C. PALUSTRis. Northern Calla. 



i,us. cordate ; s-pathe ovate, flat; s;7fflf7/.'S covered with ovaries intermixed 

 with stamens. — A fine plant, growing in shallow water. Mid. States, N. Eng. 

 N. to Arc. Am. Rhizoma creeping, rooting at the joints. Leaves 2 — 3' long, 

 \ as wide, on long stalks, involute at the acuminate point, smooth and entire. 

 Scape smooth, green, roundish, thick, 4 — G' high. Spathe clasping at the base, 

 spreading, recurved, with an involute point, greenish-yellow without, white and 

 soft within. Spadix 1' in length. The root-stock is acrid, but Linnajus tells 

 us that the Laplanders extract a wholesome bread stuff from it. July. 



2. C. Jj^THiopicA. Ethiopian Calla. — Lvs. sagittate-cordate; spathe cucul- 

 late ; spadix with the sterile flowers above the fertile. — A magnificent plant 

 from Cape Good Hope, often met with in green-houses and parlors. The 

 leaves are very large, smooth and entire, on long, sheathing, radical footstalks. 

 Scape smooth, round, arising a little above the leaves, 3 — 5f high. Spathe very 

 large, white, involute at base, reflexed and terminating abruptly in a long 

 acum'ination. Spadix yellowish-white, about half the length of the spathe. 

 Flowers from Jan. to Mav. 



