SPADIX. 167 



of a common filiform receptacle, as in the Walnut and 

 Birch. In the Ament the flowers stand on chaffy scales, 

 which scales are deciduous in the White Birch, and per- 

 sistent in the Pine, growing with thi seed, and forming 

 the cone, Fig. 72. In the Plane tree the catkins are 

 globular, in the Hop they are oval, in the Birch they 

 are cylindrical ; being sometimes covered with wax, 

 sometimes smooth, and sometimes hairy. The Euro- 

 pean and the American forests present numerous exam- 

 ples of the catkin, while the spike usually occurs in 

 the herbaceous plants. 



12. SPADIX. — A columnar receptacle, usually ari- 

 sing from a sheath, and supporting a number of sessile 

 flowers, constitutes the Spadix. In Dragon root Arum 

 'riphyllum, the flowers are attached only to its base ; 

 In Pothosfoetida, they crown the summit of the column 

 which sustains them. 



In each of the above examples, the Spadix rises from 

 the bosom of a singular spathe, Fig. 101 ; but in the In- 

 dian corn it is enclosed by leaves, popularly denominat- 

 ed the husks ; in the Sweet-flag it is naked, and in the 

 Palms it is branched. 



