CONIFERAE 297 



Obs. This anomalous stranger is becoming frequent, as an orna- 

 mental shade tree, on the grounds of the curious. The finest speci- 

 mens in this country, are probably those introduced by the late Mr. 

 HAMILTON, at the "Woodlands," near Philadelphia. 



CLASS II. ENDOGENOUS OR MONOCOTYLE'DO- 

 NOUS PLANTS. 



STEMS not distinguishable into bark, wood, and pith; leaves mostly 

 parallel-veined, alternate, and entire ; embryo with a single cotyle- 

 don. 



ORDER XCIX. ARACEAE. 



Mostly herbaceous, and stemless, with acrid or pungent juice; leaves radical, 

 sometimes dissected ; petioles sheathing at base ; flowers dioicous, monoicous, or all 

 perfect, crowded on a spadix, which is frequently surrounded by a spaffie ; sepals 

 4 to 6, or often none ; petals none ; fruit usually a berry ; seeds with fleshy albumen, 

 or sometimes a large fleshy embryo without albumen. 



1. Spadix with a surrounding spathe. 

 f Flowers dioicous, or monoicous; sepals none; ovaries distinct. 



401. A r RUM, L. 



[An ancient name; of obscure etymology. 



Flowers monoicous, with the pistillate ones below, on the same spadix, 

 or often dioicous. Spadix naked at summit. Stamens crowded, 

 somewhat verticillate ; anthers subsessile, 2- to 4-celled. Ovaries 

 numerous, crowded, 1-celled; stigma subsessile. Berries 1- or 

 several-seeded ; seeds subglobose, albuminous. Perennial herbs, with 

 a tuberous rhizoma; leaves dissected, scarious when dry; petioles 

 elongated ; spadix on a scape ; berries orange-red. 



1. A. triphLyL'lum, L, Leaves mostly in pairs, ternately dis- 

 sected; leaflets elliptic-ovate; spadix clavate, shorter than the 

 cucullate spathe. 



THREE-LEAVED ARUM. Indian Turnep. 



Rhizoma turnep-shaped, rugose, 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Leaflets 3 to 6 inches 

 long, sessile, often purplish ; common petioles erect, 9 to 18 inches in length. Scape 

 6 to 15 inches high, the base inclosed by the sheathing petioles. Spathe 3 to 5 

 inches long, the lower half convolute, the upper half a little dilated, flat, ovate- 

 lanceolate and cucullately incurved, variegated with purple, and yellowish stripes. 

 Spadix generally dioicous, obtuse at apex. Berries in an ovoid-oblong cluster. 

 Hub. Rich, shaded grounds : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. The turnep-shaped rhizoma (called a Cormus,} is very acrid, 

 when recently gathered ; but that quality is dissipated, in great 

 measure, by boiling, or drying. 



2. A. Dracdntium, L. Leaf mostly solitary, pedately dis- 

 sected ; leaflets lance-oblong ; spadix subulate, longer than the 

 convolute spathe. 



DRAGON ARUM. Green Dragon. 



Rhizomas clustered, tuberous, rather small. Leaflets 7 to 11 or 13 in number 

 and 3 to 6 inches in length, subsessile ; common petiole 12 to 18 inches long, 



