- 
202 CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF AROIDEOLOGY: 
- © Arum Indicum sativum," Rumphius, a * planta octo decemque pedes 
alta, eujus stipes pedis crassitiem habet " (Rumph. 1. e.).* 
Caladium, as the name is given by Rumphius, had also been dis- 
covered, having been known to Piso, 237 (1648). The same was the 
with various species of Xaxthosomata, which were mentioned by 
lanis (vide Sprengel, Hist. i. p. 375) about the year 1570, as 
* Caiou, espèce de Choux.” A species of Acontias was already figured 
by Plumier (Cat. Pl. Amer. i. 8; 1693). Arisarum esculentum of 
Rumphius (Amb. v. t. xxx. p. 1; 1690), now called Schismatoglottis 
„longipes, was known long ago as Aglaonema Hii (according 
to Blume -= Arum aquaticum, Rumph. Amb. v. t. 108; 1690); also 
Aglaonema marantifolium (— Appendix erecta, "weed Amb. v. t. 182, 
f. 2; 1690). Of the existence of Homalonema rubra, Hassk., Rumphius 
was fully aware, for he described and figured it under the name of 
Dracunculus Amboinicus (v. t. iii. p. 2). 
Dracontium, the second genus taken up in Linnzeus's ‘ Species Plan- 
tarum (ed. 2) is characterized in the ‘Genera Plantarum’ (ed. 2, p. 
442; 1742) in the following manner :—* Spatha cymbzeformis, co- 
riacea, univalvis, maxima. Spadix simplicissimus, cylindraceus, bre- 
vissimus, tectus fructificationibus in capitulum digestis, quarum sin- 
arum perianthium proprium nullum nisi corollam dicas. Corolla 
propria pentapetala, concava. Petala ovata, obtusa, fere sequalia, Co- 
lorata. Stamina singulis filamenta 7, linearia, depressa, erecta, eequalia, 
corollula longiora. Anthere quadrangule, didymee, oblong, obtuse, 
erectze. Germen subovatum. Stylus teres, rectus, longitudine stami- 
num. ame obsoletum, trigonum. Bacca subrotunda. Semina plu- 
rima.” This definition does not hold good nowadays 
As has already been stated, the name “ Drenai ” has been 
epu down to us by the ancient Greeks, and was given by Linnzeus, 
“Arum” was to be restricted to a different group of species, to 
one allied to 4rum, for which Hermann (Parad. 93; 1689) had previously 
employed it. Earlier writers used however the name ** Arum," as well 
as that of “Calla,” for the group here described by Linnzus as Dra- 
contium. When the second edition of the * Species Plantarum ' appeared 
(1763), Dracontium numbered five species, which may here be mentioned 
in chronological order. D. spinosum and polyphyllum are both de- 
scribed by Hermann (Parad. 75 and 93, t. 93), the former as * Arum 
* As I had an opportunity to see in a living plant. 
Ree Ee TE 
