NATIVE WILD FLOWERS 



purple. The flowers are inconspicuous, hidden at the base 

 of the scape by the sheath. They are of two kinds, the sterile 

 and fertile ; the former, placed above the latter, consisting of 

 whorls of four or more stamens and tw r o to four-celled 

 anthers; the fertile or fruit-bearing flowers of one-celled 

 ovaries. The fruit when ripe is bright scarlet, clustered 

 round the lower part of the round fleshy scape. As the 

 berries ripen the hood or sheath withers and shrivels 

 away to admit the ripening rays of heat and light to the 

 fruit. 



The root of the Indian Turnip consists of a round 

 wrinkled fleshy corm, sometimes over two inches in 

 diameter; from this rises the simple scape or stem of the 

 plant, which is sheathed by the base of the leaves. These 

 are on long naked stalks, divided into three ovate pointed 

 leaflets, waved at the edges. 



The juices of the Indian Turnip are hot, acrid, and of a 

 poisonous quality, but can be rendered useful and harmless 

 by the action of heat; the roots roasted in the fire are no 

 longer poisonous. The Indian herbalists use the Indian 

 Turnip in medicine as a remedy in violent colic, long 

 experience having taught them in what manner to employ 

 this dangerous root. 



The Arissema belongs to the natural order Aracece, 

 most plants of which contain an acrid poison, yet under 

 proper care can be made valuable articles of food. Among 

 these are the roots of Arum (Colocasia) mucronatum, 

 and others, which, under the more familiar names of 

 eddoes and yams, are in common use in tropical countries. 

 (Lindley.) 



The juice of A. triphyllum, our Indian Turnip, has been 

 used, boiled in milk, as a remedy for consumption. 



Portland Sago is prepared from a larger species, Arum 

 maculatum (Spotted Arum). The corm, or root, yields a 



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