217 



CLASS II. MONOCOTYLE'DONS. 



For characters of the Class see Part I., chap. xv. 



I. SPADIO'EOUS DIVISION. 



Flowers aggregated on a spadix (Part L, sec. 94), with 

 or without a spathe, or sheathing bract. 



ORDER XCIV. ARA'CE-E. (ARUM FAMILY.) 



Herbs with pungent juice and simple .or compound leaves, 

 these sometimes net-veined and hence suggesting that the 

 plants may be Dicotyledons. Spadix usually accompanied 

 by a spathe. Flowers either without a perianth of any 

 kind, or with 4-6 sepals. Fruit usually a berry. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



* Leaves not linear. Flowers without perianth of any sort. Spadix 



accompanied by a spathe. 



1. Arlsae'ma. Flowers mostly dioecious, collected on the lower part of 



the spadix only. Spathe (in our common species) arched over the 

 spadix. Scape from a solid bulb. Leaves compound, net-veined, 

 sheathing the scape below with their petioles. Berries bright red. 



2. Peltan'dra. Flowers monoecious, covering the whole spadix; 



anthers above, ovaries below. Spathe convolute throughout, 

 wavy on the margin, mostly green. Leaves arrow-shaped. Scapes 

 from a root of thick fibres. Fruit a fleshy green berry, 1-3 seeded. 



3. Calla. Flowers (at least the lower ones) perfect, covering the whole 



spadix. Spathe open and spreading, with a white upper surface, 

 tipped with an abrupt point. Scape from a creeping rootstock. 

 Leaves not net-veined, simple, heart-shaped. 



* * Leaves not linear. Flowers with a perianth of 4 sepals. Spadix 



surrounded by a spathe. 



4. gymplocar'pns. Leaves all radical, very large and veiny, appear- 



ing after the spathes, which are close to the ground and are pro- 

 duced very early in spring. Flowers perfect, their ovaries im- 

 mersed in the spadix, the latter globular and surrounded by the 

 shell-shaped spathe. Sepals hooded. Stamens 4. Fruit consist- 

 ing of the soft enlarged spadix in which the seeds are sunk. 



