N. ORD.—ARACE. 4169 
GENUS.—S YMPLOCARPUS,* SALISB. 
SEX. SYST.—TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA., 
FO TOS. 
SKUNK CABBAGE. 
SYN.—POTHOS FGTIDA, MICH.; ICTODES FGTIDUS, BIGEL.; DRACON- 
‘TIUM FQ@TIDUM, L.; SYMPLOCARPUS FCTIDA, SALISB.; (?) ARUM 
AMERICANUM, CATESBY. 
COM. NAMES.—SKUNK CABBAGE, SKUNK WEED, POLECAT WEED, 
MEADOW CABBAGE, F@TID HELLEBORE, (FR.) POTHOS FETIDE, 
(GER.) STINKENDE DRACHENWURZEL. 
TINCTURE OF THE FRESH ROOT OF DRACONTIUM FC:TIDUM,} L. 
Description.—A low-spreading ill-favored weed; growing profusely in swamps 
and on bottom lands. oof perennial, from 3 to 5 inches long, and about 2 inches 
thick, of a reddish-brown color externally, terminating abruptly where it gives off 
numerous crowded rootlets, which penetrate the boggy earth, its habitat, to a 
depth of from 6 inches to 2 feet or more. Sfem none. Leaves numerous, not 
appearing until the ovules are fertilized; they are large, ovate, entire, smooth, 
longitudinally furrowed by the thick pale ribs, cordate at the base, with an acute 
tip, and spring from the root on long petioles, deeply grooved on their upper aspect, 
and sheathed at their lower juncture. The flowers are inclosed by the sfachz, a 
fleshy, ovate, shell-form, swelling body, generally about 4 inches long, by from 
2 to 3 inches in the greatest diameter; this hood has an auriculate base,an acute tip 
and infolding edges, which are at length coalescent. The sfadzx, fully sheltered 
in the basal cup of the spathe, is ovoid-globose, about 1 inch long by one-half to 
three-quarters of an inch in diameter, situated upon a short peduncle, and completely 
invested by the perfect tetrandrous, purplish flowers. Ca/yx composed of four 
fleshy, wedge-shaped sepals, whose inflected tips and edges match so perfectly 
those of the neighboring flowers as to completely cover the spadix, making a 
solid body of perianths. Stamens four, situated opposite the sepals, which, with 
their subulate filaments, they fully equal in length. Ax/hers oblong, extrorse, 
with two parallel cells. Po//ex grains quite small considering the size of the 
plant, and greatly resembling, under the microscope, pointed grains of wheat. 
Ovary one-celled, with a single suspended anatropous ovule. Style four-angled, 
pyramidal. Stgma minute, pubescent. /7uit compound,. consisting of the 
enlarged fleshy spadix together with the perianths, making in all a spongy, soft, 
glutinous, uncanny, ill-smelling mass, inclosing near the surface the ovoid bullet- 
* From oroxs, connection, and xapzé;, fruit, alluding to the coalescence of the ovaries into a compound fruit, — 
+ The name under which the plant was proven, see first synonym. 
¢ Using the name as applied by the “ Am, Hom. Phar.,” see third synonym, | 
