THE ARUM ORDER 389 
The flowers of palms are borne on a fleshy rachis which is 
more or less branched and subtended by one or more large, 
thick bracts. Such a fleshy spike whether simple or branched 
is called a spadiz,' and the large bract subtending it a spathe.2 
Palms may be distinguished as woody plants, usually with 
columnar trunks; large, plume-like or fan-shaped leaves; flowers 
on a mostly branched spadix formed within a spathe. 
146. The palm order (Palmales or Principes) includes only 
the family of palms, which from their majestic appearance 
and high importance were well called by Linnzus the Princes 
of the Vegetable Kingdom. From other orders the woody 
trunks, large and often compound leaves, mostly branched spadizx, 
conspicuous spathe, and the superior ovary with one or more 
cells, and one or more ovules, will generally afford sufficient 
marks of distinction. 
See formula of Palmales on pages 422, 423,. 
147. The arum family (Aracez) is exemplified by Acorus 
(Fig. 167, page 174.) 
See formulas of Acorus and Aracee on pages 422, 423. 
Although the members of this large family differ very much 
in general appearance and in many details of structure, our 
common sweet flag represents quite well their essential fea- 
tures. Asin the palms, there is a spadix, although it is always 
simple; and there is a spathe which, unlike that of the sweet 
flag, is generally highly colored. In our example, moreover, 
the spadix, while appearing as if lateral, is in reality terminal, 
having been pushed to one side by the peculiar elongated 
spathe which appears to continue the stem. 
The family may be defined as consisting of mostly perennial 
herbs, sometimes aromatic, often ill-smelling or acrid; with 
leaves of varied form, often netted-verned; and flowers in a sim- 
ple spadix, subtended by a more or less petaloid spathe. 
148. The arum order (Arales or Spathiflore) comprises 
1Spa’dix < Gr. spadix, a palm-branch. 
2 Spathe < Gr. spathe, a broad flat blade or spatula. The exclama- 
tion marks used in the formulas after I and B indicate, as usual, the 
fleshy character, and the oblique line after B, its involucral nature. 
