ARUM FAMILY. 459 



= Foliage very large, often handsomely colored, the leaves usually peltate. 



8. COLOCASIA. Leaves peltate, and with a notch at the base. Spathe convolute, yel 



lowlsh, much longer than the spadix, the limb spreading ; the latter covered with 

 ovaries at base, above with some abortive rudiments, still higher crowded with 

 numerous 6-8-celled sessile anthers, and the pointed summit naked. Ovary 1-celled, 

 with numerous ovules in 2 series. 



9. CALADIUM. Leaves mostly peltate, notched at the base, rich green or party-colored. 



Spathe convolute, constricted at the throat, white, the limb boat-shaped, longer than 

 the stipitate spadix ; the latter with staminate flowers above and ovaries below. 

 Ovary 2-3-celled, with many ovules in each. 



i- +- Spadix naked; i.e., the spathe incomplete and distant, appearing like a bract on 



the scape. 



10. OKONTIUM. Leaves oblong and veiny, unequilateral, blunt, abruptly narrowed into 



a stout petiole. Flowers perfect, crowded on the narrow short spadix, with 4 or 6 

 sepals and as many stamens. Ovary 1-celled, 1-ovuled, becoming a green utricle. 

 * * Plants with leaves linear, flag-like, nerved ; spadix appearing lateral. 



11. ACOKUS. Spadix cylindrical, naked, emerging from the side of a 2-edged simple scape 



resembling the leaves, densely covered with perfect flowers. Sepals 6, concave. 

 Stamens 6, with linear filaments and kidney-shaped anthers. Ovary 2-3-celled, with 

 several hanging ovules in each cell, becoming dry in fruit, ripening only one or two 

 small seeds. 



1. ARIS-SSMA, INDIAN TURNIP, etc. (Greek : 6 lood arum, from 

 the spotted leaves of some species.) Veiny-leaved plants, their turnip- 

 shaped corm farinaceous, but imbued with an intensely pungent juice, 

 which is somewhat dissipated in drying. 2Z 



A. triphyllum, Torr. COMMON INDIAN TURNIP. In rich woods ; leaves 

 mostly 2, each of 3 oblong, pointed leaflets; stalks and spathe either 

 green or variegated with whitish and dark purple stripes or spots, the 

 latter with broad or flat summit incurved over the top of the club-shaped 

 and blunt spadix. 



A. Dracdntium, Schott. DRAGON ARUM, DRAGON ROOT, or GREEN 

 DRAGON. Low grounds ; leaf mostly solitary, its petiole l-2 long, bear- 

 ing 7-11 pedate, lance-oblong, pointed leaflets ; the greenish spathe wholly 

 rolled into a tube with a short slender point, very much shorter than the 

 long and tapering tail-like spathe. 



2. ARUM. (Ancient name.) The DRAGON PLANT of Eu., known as 

 A. DRACUNCULUS (but properly DRACUNCULUS VULG\RIS, Schott.), 

 with pedate leaves and brown spathe, is sometimes cultivated. 



A. palcestinum, Boiss. (A. SANCTUM of plant merchants.) BLACK 

 CALL A. Spathe about 1 long, mossy -green or purplish outside, rich vel- 

 vety black inside and yellowish-white at the base of the tube, standing 

 above the leaves, the latter triangular-hastate. Syria, etc. 



3. FELTANDRA, ARROW ARUM. (Greek words meaning shield- 

 shaped stamen, from the form of the anthers.) Flowers summer. 2/ 



P. undulata, Raf. Root fibrous; scape about equaling the leaves, 

 1-1$ high; lobes of the leaves acutish, rather long; spathe greenish, 

 wavy on the margin ; sterile (upper) portion of the spadix several times 

 longer than the pistillate portion. Ponds, N. Eng., W. and S. 



P. alba, Raf. Root tuberous; lobes of the leaves short and broad, 

 obtuse ; spathe shorter, white, not wavy; sterile portion of the spadix 

 about the length of the pistillate portion. N. Car., S. 



