NUDIFLOR^ 355 



the leaf-axils there may be accessory buds. The 

 axillary shoot may be adnate to the main axis as in 

 some Solanaceae. The buds in the leaf-axils may be 

 pushed to one side or break through the leaf-base. 

 The leaves are variable, sometimes (as in Arum) net- 

 veined or branched, and may be palmate or pinnate. 



The tropical types are epiphytes, and are large 

 climbing plants with aerial roots, and the roots below 

 may die. The plant absorbs water from the soil, 

 and is thus not epiphytic in that respect. Others 

 begin life as epiphytes. In some plants the leaves 

 have swollen leafstalks in which water is stored. 



These plants as a whole have a dense spike or 

 spadix and a coloured bract or spathe, of one leaf. 

 There are no other bracts. The spadix ends a joint of 

 the sympodium. The flowers are hermaphrodite, or 

 the plant may be monoecious or dioecious. There may 

 or may not be a perianth. It may be hypogynous or 

 polyphyllous. There are usually six stamens, but 

 there may be only one. They may be united into a 

 synandrium in some exotic types, and several may be 

 united. Staminodes may occur. The anthers are two- 

 celled, and open outwards, or by terminal pores. The 

 ovary is one- (or more) celled, and may consist of only 

 one carpel. The style is simple, or the pin-headed or 

 discoid stigma may be stalkless. There may be a 

 single ovule or more than one. The fruit is a berry, 

 one- (or more) celled. The outer covering of the 

 seed may be fleshy. The seeds are one (or more) with 

 or without endosperm, which may be fleshy or mealy. 



