74 KEPOKT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTUKE. 



Arisjema triphylla — Wild Turnip; Indian Turnip. 



An lierbaceous plant, of the natural order Aracew, of the class of 

 Eudogeus, growing in moist, rich woods in most parts of the United 

 States east of the Eocky Mountains. It arises from a turnip-shaped 

 corm of the size of a small onion, usually sending up two succulent 

 leaf-stalks, 1 to 3 feet long, each of which is terminated by three oblong, 

 pointed leaflets, 2 to 3 inches long. The leaf-stalks arc at the base, in- 

 closed in a loose sheath, together with a single flowering stem, whicb 

 is shorter than the leaves, and at its summit produces the flowering- 

 parts, which consist of a cylindrical, club-shaped spadix, usually about 2 

 inches long, and inclosed in a loose, leafy envelope, called a spathc, 3 or 

 4 inches long, with upper part arched over the spadlx. The spat/ie or 

 sheath is green or veined with whitish and purple stripes. The spadix 

 is covered with small, closely-sessile flowers, those of the upper portion 

 being male and those of the lower portion female; these, when ferti- 

 lized, develop into a roundish mass of pulpy red fruits. The corm or 

 bulb is farinaceous, and in the green state imbued with an intensely 

 pungent juice, which is dissipated in drying. The dry corm has some 

 medicinal reputation in various diseases, particularly of the lungs. 

 Plate XV, Fig. 1, the corm; 2, the spadix enlarged, showing the male 

 portion above and the female portion below; 3, matured fruit. 



Symplocarpus FCETiDUS — Slcunlc CaUbage. 



A i^erennial herbaceous plant, with a cabbage-like aspect, with a 

 strong disagreeable odor. It has a thick, descending rhizoma, from 

 which proceeds a multitude of coarse, fibrous roots, and a cluster of 

 large and broad, heart-shaped leaves, which when full grown are 1 to 2 

 feet long, ou short petioles or stalks. The leaves are preceded in very 

 early spring by a few flowering shoots, consisting of a spadix and spathe, 

 which rise but little above the surface of the ground. 



The spadix or receptacle is globular, very short-stalked, and covered 

 with small, crowded, perfect flowers. These have each four stamens, 

 a iOijr-angled style, and small stigma. In fruit the receptacle becomes 

 a globular mass, inclosing the spherical seeds just beuenth the surface. 

 This receptacle of flowers and fruit is inclosed by a thick and fleshy 

 1)00(1 or spathe, 3 to C inches in length, and with the npex bent forward 

 like a beak. This spathe decays and falls away in age, leaving the mass 

 of JVuit exposed. Tlie roots have long had a domestic reputation lor 

 sojiie medicinal purposes, and are also used by some of the medical pro- 

 fession. Plate XVI, Fig. 1, spathe and spadix just above the surface 

 of the ground; 2, mature spadii, with a section removed showing the 

 peed cavities. 



NOTES ON GRASSES. 



JOHNSON GRASS IN MONTANA. 



The division received, in September, samples of a remarkably vigor- 

 ous growth of Johnson grass {Sorghum halapensc) from Mr. William 

 Story, of Miles City, Mont., accompanied with the statement that it had 

 appareutlj^ caused the death of several head of cattle on his land and 

 on that of a neighbor. He states that but a very small quantity was 

 eaten, as the cattle were not allowed to stay long in the field. They 

 died so suddenly that the opinion was formed that there was something 



