388 



BOTANY 



pinnate leaves, ten to fifteen metres in length, and the fan-shaped leaves of 

 Corypha umbraculifera are four to five metres in diameter. 



Order V. Synanthae 



The order Synanthse comprises a single small family of palm-like plants, the 

 Cyclanthacefe. They are confined to the American Tropics, and in appearance 

 closely resemble small Fan-palms (Fig. 362). The flowers, however, are more 



like those of the Araceae. 

 From the leaves of species 

 of Carludovica are manu- 

 factured the famous Pan- 

 ama hats. 



Order VI. 

 Spathiflorae 



The Spathiflorse include 

 two families, the Araceae, 

 to which the greater 

 number belong, and the 

 Lemnacese. 



Fam. i. Araceae. 

 The Aracese are princi- 

 pally tropical plants, but 

 a small number of genera 

 (Acorus, Calla, Symplo- 

 carpus, Arum, Arisaema) 

 occur in temperate regions 

 as well. Several Araceae, 

 like the familiar " Calla- 

 lily" (Richardia), and 

 various species of Anthu- 

 rium and Caladium, are 

 cultivated for their fine 

 foliage or showy inflores- 

 cences. The latter owe 

 their beauty to the large 

 bract (Spathe) which sur- 

 rounds the flowers (Fig. 

 364). The flowers are 

 borne upon a thick spike, 

 or Spadix. In Spathicarpa (Fig. 363) the spadix and spathe are completely 

 coherent. The flowers may be unisexual or hermaphrodite, and the fruit is a 

 berry, which is often brilliantly colored (e.g. Arisaema triphyllum) . The embryo 

 may fill the seed (Lysichiton) or there may be endosperm present (Philodendron). 

 The leaves, with few exceptions (Acorus), are large, and sometimes com- 

 pound. The venation may be parallel (Richardia), but more often it is reticu- 

 late. The Aracese are represented in the moist tropical forests by many 

 striking forms. Some, like Dracontium gigas, of Central America, are terres- 

 trial plants with giant leaves ; others, like Philodendron, and species of Anthu- 



FIG. 362. Carludovica palmata. (After BAILEY.) 



