MONOCOTYLEDOJ^'S 27 



relatively large leafy structure called the spathe. If 

 further marks for identification are necessary, they are 

 supplied by the arrow-shaped leaves of this plant. In 

 autumn the pistil zone of flowers form a cluster of 

 bright -scarlet berries of a very attractive appearance. 

 In spite of their intensely acrid taste, the berries of this 

 plant are sometimes eaten by children, with highly in- 

 jurious results. A single drop of the juice will cause a 

 burning sensation in the mouth and throat for hours 

 afterwards. The roots, however, when properly prepared 

 are wholesome and nutritious, and formerly the plant 

 was cultivated for the sake of the starch that was got 

 from the roots, the product being known as Portland 

 sayo. This could be used as food, as the poisonous pro- 

 perties common to all parts of this plant, being very 

 volatile, disappeared during the process of drying. The 

 roots contain not only starch, but sugar, gum, resin, 

 albumen, and fat. It is interesting to note that an old 

 name for this plant was Starchwort; it was used for 

 stiffening the ruffs and frills \Aorn by gentlemen and 

 ladies in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 



Sweet Flag or Sweet Sedge (Acorus Calamus). 



Belonging to the same family as the Cuckoo-Pint is a 

 plant which was origiually an inhabitiint of eastern 

 Europe but has now become est«,blished as a wild plant 

 in England, being found on the edges of lakes and 

 streams. This is the Sweet Flag (fig. 12), the rhizome of 

 which possesses important medicinal properties. In Ger- 

 many and Holland the plant is cultivated for the market. 

 It is found in watery places, and is easily distinguished 

 from all other British plants by its erect sword-shaped 

 leaf, 2-3 feet long, and numerous stalkless primitive 

 flowers, crowded on a fleshy structure called the spadix. 

 All the parts of the plants are very fragx-ant. Tlie under- 

 gt'ound stem (rhizome) is esteemed as a valuable medicine 



