XXX. AEOIDE^l. 835 



naked space, or by rudimentary ovaries, or by staminodes which sometimes succeed 

 the $ flowers, and clothe the top of the spadix. PERIANTH 0, or (in the flowers) 

 4-o-6-8-phyllous, or 5-8-fid. STAMENS numerous, free or variously coherent; fila- 

 ments short or obsolete ; anthers extrorse, 2-celled, opening either by a longitudinal 

 or transverse slit, or by an apical or sub-apical pore ; pollen-grains sometimes agglu- 

 tinated. OVAEIES generally aggregated, distinct or coherent, 1-celled, or 2-3-4- 

 many-celled by prolongation of the parietal placentas, furnished internally with 

 hairs that secrete an abundant mucilage ; styles or simple ; stigma capitate or 

 discoid, undivided or sometimes lobed (Asterostigma) ; ovules solitary or more or less 

 numerous, basilar parietal or apical, erect, ascending, sub- horizontal or pendulous, 

 orthotropous or campylotropous, rarely anatropous and with external raphe (Amor- 

 phophallus variabilis) . FRUIT an indehiscent berry, 1-several-celled, 1-many-seeded. 

 SEEDS sub-globose, oblong or angular ; testa coriaceous, thick ; albumen farinaceous 

 or fleshy, copious, disappearing at germination, or rarely (Symplocarpus). EMBRYO 

 white or green, axile, turbinate or cylindric, or sometimes slightly angular (Acorus), 

 or very rarely curved (Cyrtosperma) . 



TRIBE I. CALLAGES. 



Flowers $ , or $ and $ on the same spadix, achlamydeous or not. 



SECTION I. ACOROIDE^E. Spathe leaf-like, adnateto the peduncle. Flowers , 

 covering the spadix. Perianth 4-6-phyllous. Stamens as many as, and opposite to 

 the sepals. Ovaries 1-3-celled ; ovules pendulous, orthotropous. Seeds albuminous. 

 Herbs, usually containing an aromatic oil (Acorus), rhizome jointed. Leaves 

 ensiform, equitant, sheathing in vernation. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Acorus. Gymnostachys. 



SECTION II. ORONTIACE^I. Spathe persistent, herbaceous, or sometimes 

 coloured (Dracontium, Symplocarpus), rarely (Orontium). Spadix covered with $ 

 flowers. Perianth 4-5-6-8-phyllous, or sometimes 5-8-fid (Dracontium). Stamens 

 as many as, and opposite to the perianth-lobes. Ovaries 1-few-celled ; style usually 0, 

 rarely subulate -elongate (Dracontium), or tetragonal- pyramidal (Symplocarpus)', 

 ovules sometimes basilar and campylotropous (Pothos), or horizontal and semi-anatro- 

 pous (Orontium), sometimes pendent and anatropous (Anthurium), or campylotropous 

 (Cyrtosperma, Lasia) . Seed usually exalbuminous. Herbs, rarely aquatic (Orontium), 

 stemless or caulescent, and often sarmentose or climbing (Pothos, Anthurium). 

 Leaves alternate, sometimes jointed (Pothos, &c.), simple, entire (Orontium, Symplo- 

 carpus, Pothos), or pinnatisect (Lasia), or palmisect (Anthurium), or pedate (Dracon- 

 tium). Stipulary sheaths adnate to the petiole, or opposite to the leaves, sometimes 

 alternating with the petiole (Anthurium). Spathe longer or shorter than the 

 spadix. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 



Orontium. Symplocarpus. Cyrtosperma. Arctiodracon. * Spathiphvllum. 



Lasia. Dracontium. * Anthurium. Pothos. 



:; ii 2 



