242 ARACEiE. Calla. 



2-celIed ; the cells distinct, opening longitudinally. Ovaries one-celled, with 5-6 ana- 

 tropous ovules : stigma sessile, discoid. Berries distinct, depressed, few-seeded, oblong- 

 ovoid, striate. Embryo conspicuous, in the axis of a somewhat horny albumen. — An 

 aquatic herb, with a prostrate and creeping rhizoma, cordate leaves, and a whitish spathe. 



1. Calla PALUSTRis, Linn. Water Arutn. 



Linn. sp. 2. p. 968 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 187 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 399 ; Bot. mag. t. 1831 ; 

 Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 348 ; Torr. compend. p. 358 ; Beck, bot. p. 382 ; L. C. Rich. I. c. ; 

 Kunlh, enum. 3. p. 59. 



Rhizoma thick, jointed. Leaves on long stout footstalks ; the lamina 3-5 inches long 

 and 2-4 inches wide, abruptly acuminate, with an involute mucro ; the veins undivided, 

 and curving from the base to the summit. Scape about as long as the leaves. Spathe 1-2 

 inches long, spreading or flattish, clasping at the base, with a short abrupt involute point, green 

 outside, whitish within. Spadis oblong, covered with crowded flowers. Stamens indefinite : 

 anthers didymous ; the cells obliquely attached to the summit of the filament. Berries 

 ovoid, red. 



Sphagnous swamps : frequent in the northern and western parts of the State. The most 

 southern station known to me is that of Coldcnham, in Orange county, where it was found 

 by Mr. M. B. Halsted. Fl. June. Like many other Arace^e, it is acrid, but loses this 

 quality by drying. 



4. SYMPLOCARPUS. Salish.; O. Rich, gen. N. Am.pl. p. 17 (1814); Nutt. gen. 1. 



p. 105; Endl. gen. 1705.* SKUNK CABBAGE. 



[From the Greek words, symploke, connexion, and karpos, fruit; the berries being united.] 



IcTOEEs, Bigel. Spathyema, Raf. 



Spathe cucullate-shellform, acuminate. Spadix on a short thick peduncle, ovoid-globose, 

 covered with perfect flowers, which are furnished with a 4-leaved perianth. Stamens 4, 

 opposite the cucullate leaves of the perianth : anthers 2-cel!ed ; the cells oblong, parallel, 

 extrorse. Ovary one-celled, witli a single anatropons suspended ovule : style 4-angled, 

 pyramidal : stigma minute. Berries immersed in the spongy spadix, and, with the finally 

 succulent perianth, forming a kind of compound fruit. Seed ovoid, destitute of albumen, 

 but with a large fleshy globular embryo, consisting chiefly of radicle, with one or some- 

 times several plumules. — Fetid stemless herbs, with a straight rhizoma, short nearly 

 sessile spathe, and entire leaves. 



This genus was indicated by R. Brown, in Prodr. p. 337, and tlio peculiarities of the seed described. 



