IRIDACEA. 701 
incurved and hooded at the apex ; anthers 2-celled, placed in 
the coneavity below the apex of the filaments. Ovary inferior; 
1-celled, with 3 parietal placentas projecting more or less into 
the interior ; styles 3. Fruit baccate. Seeds numerous, with 
fleshy albumen. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives of mountainous regions 
in India, the Malayan Archipelago, the Philippines, Australia, 
Polynesia, Madagascar, Guiana. According to Hance, there 
are three genera—T'acca, Forst.; Ataccia, J. S. Presl; and 
Schizocapsa, Hance—which contain twelve or more species. 
Properties and Uses.—The roots are bitter and acrid, but 
when cultivated they become larger and lose in some degree 
their acridity and bitterness, and contain much starch, which 
when separated is used for food. 
Tacca.—The roots of T. oceanica yield the starch known as Tacca 
Starch or Tahiti Arrowroot. It may be employed as a substitute for Maranta 
starch. Cakes made from this starch are eaten by the natives of Otaheite 
and the other Society Islands, where this plant is commonly cultivated.— 
T. pinnatifida is by some considered to be identical with the former species. 
Like it, the roots contain starch, which is used as food by the inhabitants of 
China, Cochin China, Travancore, &e. 
Cohort 5. Narcissales.—Flowers hermaphrodite, regular or irre- 
gular. Perianth usually petaloid. Stamens 3 or 6, inserted 
on the perianth or summit of the ovary. Ovary 3-celled ; 
placentation axile. Seeds with copious fleshy, cartilaginous, 
or horny albumen ; embryo distinct. Leaves parallel-veined. 
Order 1. Intpace%, the Iris Order. —Character.—Herbs, 
usually with bulbs, corms (figs. 244 and 245), or rhizomes (fig. 
233). Leaves with parallel venation, generally equitant. Flowers 
spathaceous (fig. 1057). Perianth superior (fig. 1060), petaloid, 
6-partite (fig. 1058), in two whorls, which are equal or nearly so 
(fig. 1058), or unequal (figs. 1057 and 1060), in the size of their 
segments ; or sometimes the parts are entirely distinct ; convo- 
lute in zxstivation. Stamens 3, inserted on the outer segments 
of the perianth (jig. 1058); anthers 2-celled, innate, extrorse. 
Ovary inferior (fig. 1060), 3-celled, with axile placentation (fig. 
1057) ; style 1 (figs. 1058 and 1059); stigmas 3, often petaloid 
(figs. 643, stig, and 1060, s,s). Fruit capsular, 3-celled, 3- 
valved, with loculicidal dehiscence (fig. 712). Seeds numerous, 
with horny or fleshy albumen (fig. 1061, p). 
Diagnosis.—Herbs. Leaves with parallel veins. Flowers 
on scapes, spathaceous. Perianth petaloid, superior, 6-partite, 
or rarely the parts are quite distinct, in 2 equal or unequal 
whorls. Stamens 38, distinct or monadelphous ; anthers innate, 
extrorse. Ovary 3-celled, with axile placentation, inferior. 
Fruit capsular, with loculicidal dehiscence, 3-celled, 3-valved. 
Seeds numerous, albuminous. 
