AKUM 



TIIK lUJLB IJOOK 



AKUM 



large open ovate brownisli .si)atlie 

 heavily Itlotched with purple, and 

 covered with hairs. The drooping 

 dark purple sjiadix is also covered 

 with long blackish hairs. The plant 

 grows 12 to 18 ins. high, has lobed 

 leaves, and when in blossom emits 

 a strong stench. It requires to be 

 grown in sheltered sunny spots in 

 rich sandy soil. {Hot. Reg. t. 83b) 



A. Dracunculus {Dracunculus 

 vuhiaris). Dragon Plant. — A native 

 of S. Europe, 2 to 3 ft. high, with 



Fir;. tiZ.—Arum Dracunculus. (J ) 



large blackish tubers, pcdately lobed 

 leaves, and fleshy stalks and stems, 

 mottled with black. The flowers 

 ai)pear in June and July on an erect 

 l)rowni.sh-red tapering spadix, issuing 

 from a large ovate lance-shaped 

 spathe contracted at the base, and of 

 a rich deej) ])uri)le or claret colour 

 on the inner surface. 



This i)laiit also has a very disagree- 

 able odour wlieii in bloom. 



92 



A. EJggerl. — This is closely related 

 to A. sj)('r((tlnle, and is i)robably only 

 a form of it. 



A. italicum.— A native of the 

 Cliannel Islands, S. England, and S. 

 Europe. It grows 9 to 24 ins. high, 

 with triangular-hastate leaves ap- 

 pearing before winter. The flowers 

 appear in spring on a creamy white 

 or yellowish spadix, enclosed in a 

 hooded greenish-yellow or Avhitish 

 spathe. In autumn when the leaves 

 have withered, the clusters of scarlet 

 berries on the stems are very 

 beautiful and attractive. This 

 species may be naturalised in 

 grassy places or shrubberies, and 

 increased by seeds or offsets. The 

 variety marmoratum has the 

 leaves blotched or marbled with 

 yellow. {Bat. Mag. t. 2432.) 



A. maculatum. — This is our 

 common " Lords and Ladies " or 

 " Cuckoo Pint " found in woods, 

 hedges, and dry ditches in most 

 parts of the country. It has 

 hastate-cordate leaves often spot- 

 ted with black, and yellowish- 

 green spathes, edged and often 

 spotted with purple, enclosing a 

 dull purple or rarely yellow 

 club-shaped spathe. In autumn 

 the bright scarlet berries look 

 very handsome. Useful for 

 naturalising in waste places. 



A. Magdalenae. — This is closely 

 related to A. pala'stimtvi, but 

 has a yellow sjjathe marbled and 

 spotted with purj^le. 



A. palaestinum {A. saiictum). — A 

 very attractive species, native of 

 Palestine, resembling the well-known 

 Arum Lily in foliage and appearance. 

 The large bright shining green leaves 

 are hastate in shape, and the flower- 

 stems are thrown well above the 

 foliage in early summer. The spathe 

 is G to S ins. long, greenish-yellow 

 washed with red outside, but deej) 



