90 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Iroin the style; anthers free from the style. Styles G, free or united 

 into one, in the latter case with G radiating stigmas. Fruit subcoriaceous 

 or somewhat fleshy, bursting irregularly, crowned by the persistent 

 perianth. 



Stemless herbs with creeping rootstocks bearing a few reniform 

 deltoid and cordate leaves on rather long stalks and a rather large 

 solitary flower on a short scape. 



Dr. Mayne gives the following derivation for the name of this genus of plant — 

 " u (a), negative, milfjio (saim), I adorn, because it was not introduced into the ancient 

 chaplets or wreaths for the head." 



SPECIES I.— AS ARUM EUROPIUM. Linn. 



Plate MCCXLIX. 



J?e!ch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XII. Tab. DCLXVIII. Fig. 1339. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 450. 



Rootstock creeping; stems very short, each producing 2 subopposite 

 leaves. Leaves on long petioles, transverse or roundish reniform, deeply 

 cordate, obtuse or subobtuse, subcoriaceous, subglabrous on the veins 

 and petiole. Flowers terminal between the 2 leaves. Peduncle much 

 shorter than the petioles, recurved. Perianth campanulate, with 3 

 thick ovate segments Avith reflexed points. Filaments free from the 

 style. Style single, with a G-lobed stigma. 



In woods and among brushwood. Very rare. Perhaps not truly 

 native, at least in many of its stations, though it is probably so near 

 Salisbury, Wilts ; Halifax, and near Settle, Yorkshire ; Burnley, Lan- 

 cashire ; and in Westmoreland. 



England, [Scotland.] Perennial. Spring, early Summer. 



Rootstock extensively creeping, fleshy, producing numerous stems 

 rarely above 1 or 2 inches high, which at the apex produce a pair of 

 leaves with petioles 2 to 5 inches long, laminae 2 to 3^ inches across. 

 Peduncle |- to 1 inch long, and, as well as the perianth, woolly. 

 Perianth about }j to | inch long, lurid purple, tinged with green on 

 the outside, brighter purple inside the segments. Filaments produced 

 into a point beyond the anthers. Fruit subglobular-ovoid, crowned 

 by the perianth segments, indehiscent. Leaves dark shining green, 

 paler beneath, reclinate in vernation. 



Asarabacca. 



French, Afiaret cVEurojm. German, EnrojviiscJif' Ilasdivurz. 



This plant has had a reputation from time immemorial as a cathartic, emetic, aijd 

 irritant. .It was in use among the Greeks, by whom it was called "Airapov. Under 

 the name of Asarabacca it was largely cmplo3X'd by the older physicians, but is now 



