11. Remusatia.] 132. ARACEuE. 



first stolon-like, ultimately erect or inclined and bearing clusters of 

 scaly bulbils, scales with hooked awns. Spathe developing before 

 the regular leaf from a broad oblong sheath, tubular portion about 

 1-3" and broad golden-yellow limb about 2", refracted. Spadix 1-1-5". 



Always found by me in pockets of soil among large rocks. Elev. 2000-4000 ft. 

 Singbhum ! Ranchi, on the ghats, frequent ! Hazaribagh, on Parasnath, Clarice I 

 Fl. April. The leaves and bulbiferous shoots develop from the break of the rains 

 and last at least until October. 



It can be distinguished from the small rock form of Colocasia when without the 

 stolons by the leaves being polished below as well as above, the nervules less 

 clearly defined (when fresh) and the tip acuminate. But when dry the more 

 succulent leaves appear venj membrcoious and the sec. nerves veiy distinct. 

 Midrib with 3-4 sec. n. each side nearly reaching margin and also a pair of sec. n, 

 from junction of basal nerves which bear about 2 other sec. n. There is no 

 intramarginal nerve but a very fine marginal one almost touching the pronounced 

 hyaline margin. 



Caladium is a genus of tropical South American aroids with de- 

 pressed spherical or hemispherical corms and peltate sagittate radical 

 leaves. Both male and female flowers densely packed. Spadix 

 without appendage, dorsally adnate at the base to the spathe. Differs 

 especially from Colocasia by the ovaries, which are slightly adherent 

 by their apices, having deeply intruded placentae so that the ovary 

 becomes nearly or quite 2-3-locular Avith central placentation. The 

 leaves are often most beautifully and delicately variegated especially 

 when they first appear in the hot season and for this reason are 

 favourite verandah plants. 



12. COLOCASIA, L. 



8hoot from a bulb-like tuber or usually from a subterranean rhizome, 

 more rarely with a rhizome continued into a short erect caudex. 

 Leaves entire, peltatelj^ attached to the stout petiole, ovate and 

 cordate or sagittate. vSpathe appearing with the leaves with a thick 

 accrescent tubular base above which it is contracted, then with an 

 erect cymbiform limb. .Spadix free, shorter than the spathe, stout 

 or slender, male and female inflorescence usually with interposed flat 

 neuters. Appendage cylindric subulate or 0. Synandria obpyra- 

 midal, of 3-6 stamens with linear cells which open by a short slit. 

 Ovaries ovoid or oblong, 1 -celled, with 2-4 parietal placentae each 

 with numerous orthotropous ovules, stigma flat 3-5-rayed. Berry 

 many-seeded. Seeds with fleshy outer and a ribbed inner coat, 

 albuminous. Embryo axile. 



Branched latex-tu])es occur in stem and petioles. 

 No neuters at base of females, many flat neuters above. Appen- 

 dix much shorter than inflorescence, rarely 0. Stigma 



discoid 1. anfiqnorHm. 



Few neuters at base of inflor., very few neiiters between M. and 

 Fern, inflor. Appendix slender, longer than the inflor. 

 Stigna oblong 2.falla.v. 



1. C. antiquorum, Schotf, S,yn. Arum colocasia, Willd. ; A. nymphaei- 

 folium, Roxb. ; A. esculentum, L.; Pichigi, Saru, K. ; Kachhu, 

 Beng. 

 Stem above ground 0, or slightly swollen at the base of the leaf- 

 sheaths, arising from a hard tapering rhizome or in cultivated varieties 



8G() 



