462 



BOTANY. 



Some of the species have been used in medicine, among which are 

 the Indian Turnip (Ariscema), and Sweet Flag (Acorus). 



Calocasia antiquorum, a large plant of the tropics, is there grown for 

 its fleshy farinaceous corm. It is grown with us for its fine foliage. 



Richardia Afiicana, the so-called Calla-lily, or Ethiopian Lily, a na- 

 tive of the Cape of Good Hope, is a common green-house plant. 



Symplocarpus fcatidus, the Skunk-cabbage of the Northern United 

 States, is remarkable for the mephitic odor of its bruised leaves. 



Amorpliophallus Titanitm, an Aroid discovered in 1878 by Beccari in 



FIGS. 350-3. ILLUSTBATIONS OF 



FIG. 350. 



FIG. 351. 



FIG. 352. 



Fig. 350. Two plants of L. minor. Magnified. 

 Fig. 351. Three flowers in a spathe. 

 Fig. 352. Section of pistil. 



Sumatra, has an enormous spathe, 1.7 metres (6 feet) in depth, and 83 

 cm. (2f feet) in diameter. 



Order Typhaceee, represented by the two genera Typha and Spar- 

 ganium. 



Order Pandanaceae. Mostly tropical plants, some ot them of a 

 tree-like aspect. 



Pandanus includes the Screw Pines of the East Indies, so called from 

 the spiral arrangement of their clustered leaves. 



Carludovica palmata, a Central American plant, with palmate radical 

 leaves borne on petioles three metres (8-10 feet) long, is important as 

 furnishing the material from which the famous Panama hats are 

 made. 



558. Cohort VII. Palmales. Shrubs or trees with di- 

 vided (rarely simple) leaves. Flowers in a spadix. 



