GENUS 4. 



ARUM FAMILY. 



445 



i. Spathyema foetida (L.) Raf. Skunk Cab- 

 bage. Fig. 1117. 



Dracontium foctidiiin L. Sp. PI. 967. 1753. 

 Spathyema foetida Raf. Med. Rep. (II.) 5: 352. 1808. 

 Symplocarpits foetidus Nutt. Gen. i: 106. 1818. 



Leaves numerous, in large crowns, i-3 long, often 

 i wide, strongly nerved, abruptly acute at the apex, 

 thin, entire, their petioles deeply channeled. Root- 

 stock thick, descending, terminating in whorls of fleshy 

 fibers; spathe preceding the leaves, erect, 3'-6' high, 

 i '-3' in diameter at the base, convolute, firm; purple- 

 brown to greenish yellow, often mottled, its short scape 

 usually subterranean, spadix about i' in diameter in 

 flower, greatly enlarging and sometimes 6' in diameter 

 in fruit; mature seeds 4"-6" long. 



In swamps and wet soil, Nova Scotia to Ontario and 

 Minnesota, North Carolina and Iowa. Feb.-April. Skunk- 

 weed. Meadow, Swamp- or Clumpfoot-cabbage. Pole-cat 

 weed. Folk-weed. Collard. Fruit ripe Aug.-Sept. 



5. ORONTIUM L. Sp. PI. 324. 1753. 



Aquatic herbs, with thick rootstocks buried in the mud, oblong-elliptic nerved leaves 

 without a distinct midvein, and slender terete scapes terminated by a cylindric spadix. 

 Spathe enclosing the spadix when very young, soon parting and remaining as a sheathing 

 bract at its base, or falling away. Flowers perfect, bright yellow, covering the whole 

 spadix. Sepals 4-6, scale-like, imbricated upon the ovary (lower flowers commonly with 6, 

 upper with 4). Stamens as many as the sepals; filaments linear, wider than the anthers, 

 abruptly narrowed above; anthers small, with two diverging sacs opening by oblique slits. 

 Ovary partly imbedded in the axis of the spadix, depressed, obtusely angled, i-celled; ovule 

 solitary, half-anatropous ; stigma sessile. Fruit a green utricle. Endosperm none ; embryo 

 long-stalked. [Ancient name of some water plant, said to be from the Syrian river Orontes.] 



A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 



i. Orontium aquaticum L. Golden-club. Floating 

 Arum. Fig. 1118. 



Orontium aquaticum L. Sp. PI. 324. 1753. 



Leaves ascending or floating, depending on the depth of 

 water, deep dull green above, pale beneath, the blade $'-12' 

 long, 2'-s' wide, entire, acute or cuspidate at the apex, 

 narrowed at the base into a petiole 4'-2o' long. Scape 

 6'-24' long, flattened near the spadix; spadix i'-2 r long, 

 3"-4" in diameter, frequently attenuate at the summit, 

 much thickened in fruit ; spathe bract-like, 2'-^.' long, 

 2-keeled on the back; usually falling away early; utricle 

 depressed, roughened on top with 9 or 10 tubercles. 



In swamps and ponds, Massachusetts to central Pennsyl- 

 vania, south to Florida and Louisiana, mostly near the coast. 

 Ascends to 2000 ft. on the Pocono plateau of Pennsylvania. 

 Water-dock. Tawkin. April-May. 



6. ACORUS L. Sp. PL 324. 1753. 



Erect herbs, with very long horiontal branched rootstocks, sword-shaped leaves, and 

 3-angled scapes keeled on the back and channeled in front, and a seemingly lateral cylindric 

 spadix, the. scape appearing as if extending long beyond it, but this upper part is in reality 

 a spathe. Flowers perfect, densely covering the whole spadix. Perianth of 6 membranous 

 concave sepals. Stamens 6; filaments flattened, much longer than the anthers; anthers reni- 

 form or sagittate, 2-celled, the cells confluent at maturity. Ovary oblong, 2-4-celled with 

 2-8 orthotropous ovules in each cell ; stigma sessile, depressed-capitate. Fruit a 2-3-celled 

 gelatinous berry, few-seeded. Endosperm copious. [Name ancient.] 



Two known species, the following widely distributed in the north temperate zone, the other 

 Japanese. The following is the generic type. 



