PETALOIDEiE. 689 



Fig 1064. Fig. 1065. Fig. 1066. 



Fig. 1067. 



Fig. 1064. A plant of the Cuckow pint {Arum maculatum) in fruit. 6. 

 Underground corm or tuber. I. Leaf. s. The remains of the spathe. c. 



Fruit Fig. 1065. The spadix of the same with the spathe removed; the 



flowers are all naked and unisexual, the pistillate flowers being below, the 

 staminate above, and those in the centre are abortive Fig. 1066. "Ver- 

 tical section of the pistil of the same Fig. 1067. Vertical section of the 



seed of ditto. 



also given internally as a stimulant in rheumatism, bronchial affections, &c., 

 and is also used extensively as an application to aphthous affections in children. 



Arum, — The underground stems (tubers or corms) of some of the species of 

 this genus, contain a large quantity of starch ; those of A. maculatum, Wake- 

 Robin, Cuckow-pint, or Lords and Ladies, a common native of this country, 

 are the source of what has been called Portland Sago, or Arrow-root ; 1 peck 

 of tubers yields about 31bs. of starch. The preparation of this starch is now 

 almost, if not entirely, given up. Formerly the tubers were used medicinally 

 as diuretics and expectorants. When fresh, they act as an irritant poison. 

 Arum campanulatum, or Amorphophallus campanulatus, and A. indicum, 

 produce edible corms. 



Caladium bicolor The corms of this and other species, when cooked, are 



edible. They are sometimes, but improperly, called "Yams" in tropical 

 countries. (See Dioscorea for true Yams.) 



Colocasia esculenta and others, have large fleshy corms, which are much 

 used in the West Indies, Madeira, &c., as food, under the names of Yams, 



