THE '' TRUMPET- LILY'' FAMILY, 273 



Aroideae. 

 The "Trumpet-lily" Family. 



This order contains 900 species of 98 genera in 11 

 tribes. In South Africa there are only 3 genera, two 

 being in Natal, and the third the common "Trumpet 

 Lily," or " Lily of the Hill." The flowers are mostly 

 unisexual, and arranged on a peduncle called a spadix. 

 This is surrounded by a large white bract called a spathe. 

 They are often water or marsh plants. 



Richar'dia. — R. Africa'na, also called Cal'la ^thi- 

 op'ica, is a common ditch-plant throughout the Colony ; 

 and its large, fine, white spathe is a familiar object 

 The lower part of the spadix carries pistils intermixed 

 with club-shaped, abortive stamens or staminodes. 



The upper part is entirely covered with stamens. 

 Each stamen has two anther cells, attached to a some- 

 what cuneate, or wedge-shaped connective, expanded 

 above ; on the top of the cells are pores by which the 

 pollen escapes. There is no perianth ; a pistil, usually 

 composed of three carpels, together with three stami- 

 nodes, make a female flower; and three stamens 

 constitute a male flower. 



The leaves and flowering stems arise from a thick 

 fleshy rhizome. 



There are three forms of leaves which are common 

 in this family — a long, narrow, or linear form terminating 



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