520 CXXXIV. ARACEiE. Calla. 



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

 sheaths of the petioles. Leaves 2, on long stalks, each consisting ol" 3 smooth 

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

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

 than the spathe var\ing 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. 



13. atrarubens. Dewey. (A. atrorubens. L.) Spathe sessile, spreading hori- 

 zontally above, dark brown. — Plant rather smaller, and with a disagreeable odor. 



2. A. Dracontium. Green Dragon. 



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

 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, 

 sheathing petiole, which is dichotomous above, each half bearing 2 — 4 leaflets 

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

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

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



2. PELTANDRA. Raf. 

 Gr. ttcXttj, a shield or target, avSpes, stamens ; from the character. 



Spathe convolute ; spadix covered with flowers, staminate above, 

 pistillate below ; perianth ; stamens peltate ; berry 1-celled, 1-seed- 

 ed.— '^. 



P. ViRGiNiCA. Raf (Arum. Linn. Calla. Bw. Lecontia. Cooper. Rensse- 

 laeria. Beck. Caladium. Lindl.') — Acaulescent; Ivs. oblong, hastate-cordate, 

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

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

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

 i 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 cluster 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. (caXXof , beautiful ; a term well applied. 



Spathe ovate, spreading ; spadix covered with flowers, staminate 

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

 seeded. — % Aquatic herbs. 



1. C. PALTJSTRis. Northern Calla,. 



Lvs. cordate ; spathe ovate, flat ; spadix 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 — 6' high. Spathe clasping at the base, 

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

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

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



2. C. tEthiopica. 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 

 acumination. Spadix yellowish-white, about half the length of the spathe. 

 Flowers from Jan. to May. 



