4.26 ARACEJE. (ARUM FAMILY.) 



CLASS II. MONOCOTYLEDONOUS OR EN- 

 DOGENOUS PLANTS. 



Stems with no manifest distinction into bark, wood, and 

 pith ; but the woody fibre and vessels collected into bundles 

 or threads which are irregularly imbedded in the cellular tis- 

 sue : perennial trunks destitute of annual layers. Leaves 

 mostly parallel-veined (nerved) and sheathing at the base, 

 seldom separating by an articulation, almost always alter- 

 nate or scattered and not toothed. Parts of the flower com- 

 monly in threes. Embryo with a single cotyledon (and the 

 leaves of the plumule alternate). 



ORDER 112. ARACE^. (ARUM FAMILY.) 



Plants with acrid or pungent juice, simple or compound often veiny leaves, 

 and monoecious or perfect flowers crowded on a spadix ^ which is usually sur- 

 rounded by a spathe. Floral envelopes none, or of 4 - 6 sepals. Fruit 

 usually a berry. Seeds with fleshy albumen, or none but filled with the 

 large flesny embryo in Nos. 2, 4, and 5. (A large family, chiefly tropical.) 



Synopsis. 



* Spadix surrounded by a spathe. 

 * Flowers naked, i e destitute of any floral envelopes. 



1. ARIS.SMA. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, covering only the base of the spadix. Spathe 



convolute below. 



2. PELT AND RA. Flowers monoecious, covering the whole surface of the spadix ; the anthers 



above, the ovaries below. 



3. CALLA. Flowers perfect (at least the lower ones), covering the whole surface of the short 



spadix. Spathe open and spreading. 



- - Flowers with a regular calyx. 



4. SYMPLOCARPUS. Flowers perfect, covering the whole of the oval spadix, each with a 



calyx of 4 hooded sepals, all combined into one mass in fruit. 



* * Spadix naked (not surrounded by any spathe) Flowers perfect and with a calyx. 

 6 ORONTIUM Spadix terminating a naked scape Stamens 4 - 6 : anthers 2-celled. 

 6. ACORUS. Spadix bursting from the side of a leaf-like scape. Stamens 6 : anthers 1-celled. 



1, ARIS-3EUIA, Martius. INDIAN TURNIP. DRAGON-ARUM. 



Spathe convolute below and mostly arched above. Flowers by abortion dice- 

 cious, or mono3cious, covering the base of the spadix, which is elongated and 

 naked above. Floral envelopes none. Sterile flowers above the fertile, consist- 

 ing of whorls of 4 or more stamens, with very short filaments and 2 -4-celled 



