464 ABACK-E. (Alt I'M FAMILY.) 



1. C. nucifera, L. (CocOA.) Stem 40 -60 high; leaves very long, the 

 divisions narrowly lanceolate ; spathe deeply grooved ; spadix long, branch- 

 ing ; imt very large, ovate. South Florida. Introduced. 



ORDER 137. AKACE^E. (ARUM FAMILY.) 



Chiefly acrid stemless herbs, from tuberous or creeping rootstocks, 

 with entire or divided often veiny leaves, and perfect or monoecious 

 flowers borne on a spadix, and commonly enclosed in a spathe. 

 Calyx and corolla wanting, or the former with scale-like sepals. 

 Stamens short, hypogynous : anthers extrorse, commonly sunk in the 

 thick connective. Ovary 1 -.several-celled, with 1 - several ovules 

 in each cell. Stigma sessile. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent. Embryo 

 straight. Albumen mealy or fleshy, sometimes wanting. 



Synopsis. 



* Calyx and corolla none. Spadix enclosed in a spathe. Flowers monoecious, 

 -i- Fertile flowers numerous. Spadix free. 



1. ARISJ5MA. Spadix barren above. Leaves 3 - several-lobed. 



2. PELTANDRA. Spadix flowering throughout. Leaves sagittate. 



t- -i- Fertile flowers solitary. Spadix adnate to the spathe. 



3. PISTIA. Free-floating aquatics. Fertile flowers solitary. 



* * Calyx manifest. Flowers perfect. 

 (- Spadix enclosed in a spathe. 



4. SYMPLOCARPTJS. Spathe thick and fleshy, convolute, pointed. Spadix globular. 



Sepals arid stamens 4. 



i- -i- Spadix naked. 



5. ORONTIUM. Spadix terminating the cinb-slupe J white-topped scape. 

 C. ACORUS. Spadix attached to the side of the flattened leaf-like scape. 



1. ARISJEMA, Mart. INDIAN TURNIP. 



Spathe convolute below, dilated and commonly arched above, withering. 

 Spadix covered below with monoecious or dioecious flowers (the lower ones 

 fertile), elongated and naked above. Calyx and corolla none. Stamens 4 in 

 a whorl, very short : anther cells 2-4, distinct, opening at the top. Ovary 

 1 -celled, with 5 6 erect orthotropous ovules. Stigma sessile. Fruit a 1- 

 few-seeded scarlet berry. Embryo in the axis of mealy albumen. Root 

 tuberous. Petioles of the commonly dfvided and veiny leaves elongated and 

 sheathing the scape. Fruit clusters naked. 



1. A. triphyllum, Torr. (WAKE-ROBIN.) Leaves two, trifoliate; 

 leaflets sessile, oblong-ovate, acuminate ; spathe tubular, dilated, and incurved 

 abo\e, acuminate, green, or variegated with white and purple, longer than the 

 club-shaped obtuse often diojcious spadix Low rich woods. March. 

 Plant l-lAhigh. Leaflets 3' - 6' long. Root depressed, rugose, intensely 

 acrid. 



2. A. quinatum. Leaves single and 3-foliate, or two, and the lower 

 one 3-foliate, the other subquinate ; leaflets elliptical, acute; spathe acute; 



