13. Alocasia.] 132. ARACE^. 



A. macrorrhiza. 



Caudex 6-15 ft. big-h and up to 8-12" diam. L. up to 2 ft. and as broad, end lobe 

 triantrular ovate acute with 9-12 lateral nerves each side, the lower digitately 

 spreading. Petiole and costae sometimes coloured. Peduncles 5-8" long. Tube 

 of spathe oljlong 2"5-3-3" long, limb -i-y-G'S" long by 2-2'5" broad in middle. 

 Fertile male inllor. 2-2'5" long, bterile appendix conoid obtuse or subacute sulcate 

 2-2-5" long. 



Native of Ceylon, 



A. odor a. 



Caudex only 2-3 ft. high and up to 2-3'5" diam. L. 20"-3 ft, long by 15-30" 

 broad, end lobe broadly ovate, acuminate, with 6-10 lateral nerves each side; 

 basal lobes semi-ovate rounded at tip. Peduncles 5-9 .5" long. Tube of spathe 

 oblong-ovoid or ovoid l'3-l'7"long. limb •4-5-5" long, 1'7-2'1" broad. Fertile male 

 inflor. 1'25" long. Sterile appendix narrowly conoid l'2o-l*5" long, thickened 

 at base and '4" 1)road, attenuate upwards. 



Native of tropical Himalaya, Silhet and Khasia Hills. 



3. A. indica, Schott. Manna, Man-kandu, H. : Mati-guri, Man-kachu, 



Beyig. 

 A robust herb with caudex attaining 3-G ft. and 4-8" diam. Leaves 

 2-3 ft. long bright green, triangular-sagittate slightly repand, end 

 lobe triangular acute {Roxburgh says rounded with a bent-down 

 dagger-shaped point), with strongly marked wliitish midrib and 6—8 

 strong pale sec. n. each side spreading at an angle of 60-70^ from the 

 midrib and slightly ascending towards the margin ; basal lobes ovate 

 with rather a narrow sinus between and sometimes shortly confluent, 

 their primary nerves forming an acute or nearlj- a right angle with each 

 other. Petiole as long as or longer than the leaves, round and tapering 

 upwards, sometimes transversely clouded. Peduncles several (always 

 paired, Roxb.) 4-8" long. Spathes with slight, rather offensive smell, 

 8-12" long, of a pale greenish-yellow inside and out, tube oblong- 

 ovoid 1-5-2" long (marked inside with irregular reddish lines, Engler), 

 limb 6-9" long by 2-2-4" broad, narrowly oblong with a small subulate 

 ousp. Fem. inflor. yellow, narrowly ovoid, about 1" long ; fertile 

 male inflor. white 1-5-2" long, appendix conoid rugulose 4-5" long and 

 •3—4" broad. Pistil obovoid about -2" long with sessile 3-4-lobed 

 stigma. Berry red •3--4" diam. 



Occasionally cultivated near native bouses. Purneah ! Chota Nagpur, Wood ! 

 Some varieties cultivated as ornamental plants ! Fl. April-May. 



Numerous fibres from the rootstock end in small tubers and the caudex is usually 

 furnished with adventitious roots. 



'J'he stems and small tubers referred to above are eaten. 



There are several xarieties, Mav-guri has the petiole darker coloured. In the 

 garden varietj' variegata the petiole has irregular violet lines and the blade is 

 glaucous beneath with pallid nerves, deep green above. Young plants resemble 

 those of A. odora. 



4. A. fornicata, Schott. 



A rather large aroid with stout erect caudex 6" to 2 ft. high above 

 ground. Leaves polished ovate sagittate 12-15" (whole length, only 

 8-10" from insertion of petiole to apex) by 6" to 18" by 10" or even 

 larger, basal lobes about half as long as terminal lobe or less, connate 

 for one-tenth (in Orissa specimens) to one-third (in Chota Nagpur 

 specimens) their length. Petiole 18" to 3 ft. long. Spathe about 

 .3-5" only with tubidar green base about 1" only in flower and a whitish- 



870 



