CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



MONOCOTYLEDONS CONCLUDED. 



Topic II : Monocotyledons with flowers on a spadix 

 (Spadiciflorae). 



501. Lesson II. The arum family (araceae). This family 

 is well represented by several plants. The skunk's cabbage 

 (Spathyema fcetida) illustrated in figs. 455457 is an interest- 

 ing example. The flowers are closely crowded around a thick 

 stem axis. Such an arrangement of flowers forms a ' ' spadix. ' ' 

 The spadix is partly enclosed in a large bract, the " spathe" 

 The sepals and stamens are four in number, and the pistil has a 

 four-angled style. The corolla is wanting. (See chapter on 

 pollination, Part III, for farther characters of the flower. ) 



502. The " jack-in-the-pulpit," also called " Indian turnip " 

 (Arisaema triphyllum), shown in fig. 458, the water arum (Calla 

 palustris), and the sweet flag (Acorus calamus) are members of 

 this family, as also are the callas and caladiums grown in con- 

 servatories. The parts of several of the species of this family, 

 especially the corm of the Indian turnip, are very acrid to the 

 taste. The floral parts are more or less reduced. 



503. Related to the arum family are the ''duckweeds." 

 Among the members of this family are the most diminutive of 

 the flowering plants, as well as the most reduced floral structures. 

 (For description and illustration of three of these duckweeds, 

 see chapter on nutrition in Part III.) 



Other related families are the cat-tails and palms. In the 

 latter the spathe and spadix are of enormous size. The cocoa- 

 nut is the fruit of the cocoanut palm. 



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