348 92. ARACEJ2. 



4. S. minimum (Fr.); st. simple flaccid, 1. linear floating blunt 

 not enlarged at the base, heads few racemose or spiked distant, 

 only 1 male head, fr. sessile ovoid shortly beaked. S. natans 

 Sm., E. B. 273. R. ix. 324. St. slender. L. pale, pellucid, 

 long. Lakes and ditches. P. VII. VIII. 



Order XCII. ARACE&. 



Fl. monoecious or perfect, placed on a spadix and usually in 

 a spath. Barren and fertile fl. usually on different parts of the 

 spadix. Perianth none, or of 4 8 scales. Stam. many or de- 

 finite. Anth. turned outwards. Ovary free, with 1 or more cells. 

 Stigma sessile. Fr. succulent. Embryo slit on one side. 



1. ACORUS. Spath 0. Fl. on a sessile spadix. Perianth 

 6-leaved, inferior, persistent. Stam. 6, filiform. 



2. ARUM. Spath convolute at the base. Perianth 0. Male 

 fl. of 1 sessile 2-celled anther. Fern. fl. placed lower, of 1 

 pistil. Top of spadix naked. Fr. succulent. 



1. ACORUS. Sweet Flag. 



1. A. Calamus (L.) ; scape with a long leaflike prolongation 

 beyond the spadix. E. B. 356. JR. x. 429. St. 56 feet high, 

 resembling the 1., swordshaped, flattened. Spadix completely 

 covered by the flowers, 2 3 in. long, lateral. St. and 1. sweet- 

 scented when crushed. In water, rare ; more common in Norf. 

 and Suff. P. VI. E. S. 



2. ARUM Linn. Cuckoo-pint. 



1. A. maculatum (L.); L all radical hastate-sagittate with 

 deflexed lobes green or spotted with purple, spadix clubshaped 

 straight falling short of the spath. E. B. 1298. R. vii. S 

 Root tuberous. L. vernal, with branching veins. Spath ventri- 

 cose below and above, constricted in the middle, with inflexed 

 edges when open. Spadix blunt; with ovaries at the base; above 

 them whorls of stamens; then a few filaments, probably abortive 

 pistils; club naked. Berries scarlet, many-seeded, remaining 

 after the rest of the plant has disappeared. Hedge-banks and 

 thickets. P. IV. V. 



2. A. italicum (Mill.); L all radical triangular-hastate with 

 divaricate lobes and yellow veins, spadix clubshaped straight 

 falling short of the widely spread spath. R. vii. 1 1. L. appear- 

 ing before the winter, of a dark blue-green. Spath ventricose 

 below, opening nearly flat and very broad above. Abortive 

 pistils very long, both above and below the stamens. Berries 



