ARACE.E. 143 



CLASS II. MONOCOTYLEDONS. 

 For characters of the Class see Part I., chap. xv. 



I. SPADIO'EOUS DIVISION. 



Flowers aggregated on a spadix (Part I., sec. 94), with 

 or without a spathe or sheathing bract. 



ORDER XC. ARA'CEJE. (ARUM FAMILY.) 



Herbs with pungent juice and simple or compound leaves, these 

 sometimes net-veined and hence suggesting that the plants may be 

 Dicotyledons. Spadix usually accompanied by a spathe. Flowers 

 either without a perianth of any kind, or with 4-6 sepals. Fruit 

 usually a berry. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



* Leaves not linear. Flowers ivithout perianth of any sort. Spadix accom- 



panied by a spathe. 



1. Arisae'ma. Flowers mostly dioecious, collected on the lower part of the 



spadix only. Spathe (in our common species) arched over the spadix. 

 Scape from a solid bulb. Leaves compound, net-veined, sheathing the 

 scape below with their petioles. Berries bright red. 



2. Calla. Flowers (at least the lower ones) perfect, covering the whole spadi x. 



Spathe open and spreading, with a white upper surface, tipped with an 

 abrupt point. Scape from a creeeping rootstock. Leaves not net-veined, 

 simple, heart-shaped. 



* * Leaves not linear. Flowers with a perianth ofU sepals. Spadix surrounded 



by a spathe. 



3. Symplocar'pus. Leaves all radical, very large and veiny, appearing after 



the spathes, which are close to the ground and are produced very early 

 in spring. Flowers perfect, their ovaries immersed in the spadix, the 

 latter globular and surrounded by the shell-shaped spathe. Sepals 

 hooded. Stamens 4. Fruit consisting of the soft enlarged spadix in 

 which the seeds are sunk. 



* * * Leaves linear^ sword-shaped. Spadix on the side of the scape. Flowers 



with a perianth of 6 sepals. Xo spathe. 



4. Ac'orus. Scape 2 edged, resembling thj leaves, the cylindrical spadix 



borne on one edge. Sepals hollowed. Stamens 6. 



