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like seeds ; destitute of albumen, but containing a large, fleshy, globular eméryo, 
several Alumules and a radicle. A general description of the:class and order will 
be found under Arum triphyllum. 
History and Habitat.—This is our only species of the genus; still it is 
regarded by the laity as one too many, on account of its very offensive and 
penetrating odor, which, though individualizing this plant, is still not peculiar to it 
alone, as the fruit of some of our wild currants, especially Ribes rigens, when 
crushed, emit a scent very similar to it. | 
In earliest, spring, by carefully examining boggy grounds, one may notice the 
points of many spathes just appearing above the soil, from which they soon arise 
and mature before the leaves expand. The fruit ripens in September, usually 
after the leaves have all decayed. The rapidity with which this plant matures is 
so great that in some seasons a second appearance of the spathes is made in 
November. 
This is one of the plants often wrongly classified, being a kind of broken 
link in the chain of Aracee. The genera Pothos; Arum; Dracontium; Symplo- 
carpus (without affinity) and Orontium, to which it has been successively assigned, 
will not admit it; we, therefore, must agree with Dr. Bigelow’s observations 
and accept his expressive name, Ictodes fcetidus.* Concerning the cross-fertili- 
zation of this plant I have noted the following: the pollen when mature falls 
from the anthers in such large quantities that the cup-like base of the spathe is 
covered to a depth of a line or more; wallowing about in this fertilizing element 
may be found numerous carrion beetles attracted hither by the odor of the 
plant, which undoubtedly misleads them in their search for food. In this way, 
through their wanderings to and fro, fertilization is produced by their apparently 
aimless crawling about over the spadix and base of the spathe. They are 
prevented from spending valuable time upon the inner walls of the spathe, by its 
varnished smoothness and perplexing curves, which keep them up to their work. 
Those that visit the interior of a spathe before the pollen is discharged, are 
-compelled to remain until the anthers are ripe, for it is not until then that the 
trap-like formation opens sufficiently at the base to permit easy exit. Much 
pollen is lost by being devoured by the numerous slugs that crawl into the 
 spathe. ae 
The skunk cabbage is not officinal in the U. S. Ph., having been dismissed. —. 
_ In the Eclectic Materia Medica the use of this drug, especially compounded with 
_ others, is considerable. : : re: 
eye Tinctura Symplocarpi, Pulvis Lobelia Compositus, Pulvis Asclepie Composuus, a 
_ ‘Tinctura Lobelia Composita, Tinctura Lobelia et Capsici, Tinctura Sanguinane — 
_ Compositus and Acetata, Tinctura Viburnti Composita. RS . 
a The fresh or dried fleshy fruits, divested of the seeds, and mashed with ae 
equal portion of Indian meal, have been used in this neighborhooc (Central New 
_ York) to great extent, and with excellent success, as a poultice for 2 caking — 
- mammz, promptly, in many instances coming under my notice, dissipating i : 
_hardness and restoring the glands to health. ? ee 
_ * deed, viverra, 030, oleo, Skunk oil, 
