CHAPTER LX. 



MONOCOTYLEDONS CONCLUDED. 



Topic III. Monocotyledons with Flowers on a 

 Spadix. 



ORDER ARALES. 



1154. Lesson IV. The arum family (Aracese). This family 

 is well represented by several plants. The skunk's cabbage 

 (Spathyema fcetida) illustrated in figs. 458-460 is an interest- 

 ing example. The flowers are closely crowded around a thick 

 stem axis. Such an arrangement of flowers forms a "spadix" 

 The spadix is partly enclosed in a large bract, the "spathe" 

 The sepals and stamens are four in number, and the pistil has a 

 four-angled style. The coralla is wanting. (See Chapter XLIII 

 for farther characters of the flower.) 



1155. The " jack-in-the-pulpit," also called "Indian turnip" 

 (Arisaema triphyllum), shown in fig. 461, the water-arum (Calla 

 palustris), and the sweet flag (Acorus calamus) are members of 

 this family, as also are the callas and caladiums grown in con- 

 servatories. The parts of several of the species of this family, 

 especially the corm of the Indian turnip, are very acrid to the 

 taste. The floral parts are more or less reduced. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIAN TURNIP. 



Indian turnip. The "Indian turnip," or " jack-in-the-pulpit" 

 (Arisaema triphyllum), loves the cool, shady, rich, alluvial soil 



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