ARUM FAMILY 25 



along a peculiar fleshy spike called a sjKidix, and frequently 

 more or less covered by a large, hood-like bract called a spathe. 

 Perianth, when present, of 4-6 parts ; often wanting. Fruit 

 usually a berry. 



I. ARIS^MA Martius 



Perennial herbs, springing from a corm or a tuberous root- 

 stock. Spathe rolled up at base. Summit of spadix naked, the 

 lower part flower-bearing ; staminate flowers above, pistillate 

 ones below. Stigma flat. Ovary 1-celled. Berry 1-few-seeded. 



1. A. triphyllum Schott. Indian Turnip, Jack-in-the-Pulpit. 



Leaves generally 2, each of 3 elliptical-ovate, pointed leaflets. Spadix 

 club-shaped, bearing usually only one kind of fully developed flowers ; 

 that is, fidl-sized pistillate and rudimentary staminate ones, or the 

 reverse. Spathe much longer than the spadix, and covering it like a 

 hood. Corm tuTnip-like, but much wrinkled, very starchy, and filled 

 with intensely burning juice. 



2. A. Dracontium Schott. Green Dragon, Dragon Root. Leaf 

 usually single, divided into 7-li rather narrow, pointed leaflets ; 

 spadix tapering to a long, slender point, often bearing fully developed 

 staminate and pistillate flowers. 



II. SYMPLOCARPUS Salisb. (SPATHYEMA) 



Eootstock very stout, with many long, cylindrical roots. 

 Leaves clustered, very large, and entire. Spathe shell-shaped, 

 very thick. Spadix globular, thickly covered with bisexual flow- 

 ers. Sepals 4. Stamens 4. Style 4-angled. Fruit globular or 

 ellipsoidal, with the seeds slightly buried in the enlarged spadix. 



Coarse, stemless herbs, with a powerful scent like that of 

 the skunk and of onions. 



1. S. foetidus Nutt. Skunk Cabbage. Leaves mam\ slightly 

 petioled, 1-2 ft. long, appearing after the flowers. The latter are 

 usually seen before the ground is wholly free from frost, often earlier 

 than any other flower. Bogs and wet meadows, very common N. 



III. ACORUS L. 



Rootstocks horizontal, long, and moderately stout, aromatic. 

 Leaves long, upright, sword-shaped. Spathe much like the 



