520 CXXXIV. ARACEZ. CanLa. 
the edge. Scape 8~12’ high, erect, round, embraced at the base by the long 
sheaths of the petioles. Leaves 2, on long stalks, each consisting of 3 smooth 
leaflets, 2—7' long, } as wide. Spathe green without, usually variegated within 
with stripes of dark purple alternating with pale green. Spadix much shorter 
than the spathe varying from green to dark purple. Fruit a bunch of bright 
scarlet berries. The corm loses its fiercely acrid principle by drying, and is 
then valued as a carminative, &c. May, June. 
B. atrorubens. Dewey. (A. atrorubens. L.) Spathe sessile, spreading hori- 
zontally above, dark brown.—Plant rather smaller, and with a disagreeable odor. 
2. A. Dracontium. Green Dragon. 
Acaulescent; Jf. mostly solitary, pedate; dts. oblong-lanceolate; spadiz 
subulate, longer than the convolute, oblong spathe.—Less common in N. Eng. 
than the former species, found in wet places, banks of streams, U.S. Stem a 
fleshy, subterraneous corm. Scape slender, 6—12/ high. Leaf on an erect, 
sheathing petiole, which is dichotomous above, each half bearing 2—4 leaflets 
with an odd one at the fork. Leaflets rather smaller than in A. triphylium. 
Spathe green, 1—2' long, rolled into a tube at base. Spadix slender, with its 
long, tapering point much exserted. Fruita bunch of red berries. June, July. 
2, PELTANDRA. Raf. 
Gr. ern, a shield or target, avdpes, stamens ; from the character. 
Spathe convolute ; spadix covered with flowers, staminate above, 
pistillate below ; perianth 0; stamens peltate ; berry 1-celled, 1-seed- 
ed.—%. 
P. Vircinica. Raf. (Arum. Linn. Calla. Bw. Lecontia. Cooper. Rensse- 
laeria. Beck. Caladium. Lindl.)—Acaulescent; lvs. oblong, hastate-cordate, 
acute at apex, the lobes obtuse ; spathe elongated, incurved ; spadiz covered with 
staminate flowers the greater part of its length—A smooth, dark green plant, 
in wet grounds, N. Y.and Ms. to Car. Leaves radical, numerous, 8—12’ long, 
4 as wide, on petioles as long as the scapes. Scapes many from the same root, 
8—15’ long. Spathe closely involving the spadix, green, 2—3’ long, lanceolate, 
wavy on the margin. Spadix slender, acuminate, shorter than the spathe, 
bearing the ovaries and finally the berries in a dense cluster at its base. June. 
It is to be hoped that this persecuted plant will soon find, if it has not here found, 
a permanent abode. Jl. 
3. CALLA. 
Gr. xaddos, beautiful; a term well applied. 
Spathe ovate, spreading; spadix covered with flowers, staminate 
intermixed with, or above the pistillate; perianth 0; berry many- 
seeded.— 2 Aquatic herbs. 
1. C. patustris. Northern Calla. 
Las. cordate ; spathe ovate, flat; spadix covered with ovaries intermixed 
with stamens.—A fine plant, growing in shallow water, Mid. States, N. Eng. 
N. to Are. Am. Rhizoma creeping, rooting at the joints. Leaves 2—3’ long, 
3 as wide, on long stalks, involute at the acuminate point, smooth and entire. 
Scape smooth, green, roundish, thick, 4—6’ high. Spathe clasping at the base, 
spreading, recurved, with an involute point, greenish-yellow without, white and 
soft within. Spadix 1’ in length. The root-stock is acrid, but Linneus tells 
us that the Laplanders extract a wholesome bread stuff from it. July. 
2. C. #rniopica. Ethiopian Calla—Lws. sagittate-cordate; spathe cucul- 
late ; spadiz with the sterile flowers above the fertile—A magnificent plant 
from Cape Good Hope, often met with in green-houses and parlors. The 
leaves are very large, smooth and entire, on long, sheathing, radical footstalks. 
Scape smooth, round, arising a little above the leaves, 3—5f high. ~Spathe very 
large, white, involute at base, reflexed and roan e abruptly in a long 
acumination. Spadix yellowish-white, about half the length of the spathe. 
Flowers from Jan. to May. 
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