AKACEAB 299 



Leaves finally near 2 feet long, entire, smooth ; petioles 2 to 4 inches in length ; 

 stipules expanding, ovate-oblong, acuminate, or often spatulate. Spadix about an 

 inch in diameter. 



g 2. Spadix vnthout a proper tpatiie ; flowers perfect ; sepals 4 to 6. 

 404. OROtf'TIUM , L. 



[Etymology obscure; supposed to be from the river OronUs.'] 

 Spadix terminating a terete clavate scape, covered with flowers, the 

 lower ones with 6 concave sepals, the upper with 4. Stamens as 

 many as the sepals, and opposite them. Ovary 1-celled, with a 

 single ovule; stigma minute, sessile, fruit a green utricle. Seed 

 without albumen. An aquatic stemless perennial: leaves oblong, 

 petiolate, floating, very smooth, deep velvety green above ; flowers 

 yellow. 



1. O. aqililf icum, L. Leaves lance-oblong, or obliquely ovate- 

 lanceolate, pale and somewhat glaucous beneath. 

 AQUATIC ORONTIUM. Golden Club. Floating Arum. 



Leaves enlarging, finally 8 to 12 inches long, entire ; petioles 2 to 5 inches in 

 length. Spadix 1 to 2 inches long, on a scape 6 to 12 inches in length, the spadix 

 and upper part of the scape yellow. Utricle naked, subglobose, one third of an 

 inch in diameter. 

 Hob. Pools; along the Brandy wine : not very common. Fl. May. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. This plant is very abundant in the sluggish streams of New 

 Jersey ; but rather uncommon, here. KALM says the Indians, and 

 Swedes of that day, called it "Taw*-kee;" and that the Indians 

 plucked the seeds, and kept them for mating. 



405. A'CORUS, L. 



[Gr. a, privative, and kore, the pupil of the eye; a supposed remedy for sore eyes.] 

 Spadix lateral, sessile (emerging from the side of a scape, the upper 

 portion of which closely resembles the leaves), densely covered and 

 tessellated with flowers. Sepals 6, concave, each with a stamen in- 

 serted on its base ; anthers reniform, 1-celled, opening transversely. 

 Ovary trigonous, 3-celled ; ovules several, pendulous ; stigma sessile, 

 minute. Capsule somewhat baccate, indehiscent; seeds few, albu- 

 minous, nestling in a gelatinous matter. Sub-aquatic smooth peren- 

 nial: rhizoma creeping, pungently aromatic; leaves narrowish- 

 ensiform; spadix terete, slightly tapering; flowers yellowish-green. 



1. A. Calamus, L. Scape sub triquetrous at base, dilated ancipital 



and leaf-like above the spadix. 



REED ACORUS. Calamus. Sweet Flag. 



Rhizoma about half an inch in diameter, throwing out fibrous roots verticillately. 

 Leaves 2 to 3 feet long, and % an inch to % wide. Scape as long as the leaves, 

 the upper foliaceous portion considered, by some, as an open spatfte. Spadix 2 to 

 3 inches in length. 

 Hob. Swampy springs. Nat of India. FL May. fr. Sept. 



Obs. This well-known, pungent aromatic, is thoroughly established 

 in many localities; and, in such cases, not easily eradicated. 



