684 CYCLANTHACB^ — ARACE*. 



Genus allied to Pandanacese, which according to Endl. embrace the last- 

 mentioned order. 

 NiPA, Thunb. {Spreng. syst. 3, p. 757 ; — Endl. gen. pi. l,p. 244.) Con- 

 tains only one species, viz : — 

 l.fruticans, Thunb. {Act. holm. 1782, jo. 231 ; — Spreng. syst. 3, p. 772 ; 

 — Lam. ill. 3, t. 897 ; — Labill. in mem. rnus. 5, p. 297, t- 21, 22; — 

 Roxb. fl. ind. 3, p. 650. — Nypa, Rumph. 1, t. 16. — Cocos Nypa, 

 Lour.) "^^^ Goolga. B Moluccas. Cochin China. Soonderbuns, &c. 

 Introduced into H. C. G. in 1810. Fl. ? 



ORDER CCLI.— ARACEiE, Schott. 

 (Aroidese, Juss.; — Endl. gen, pi. p. 232.) 



THE ARTJM TRIBE. 



Herbaceous plants, frequently with a fleshy cormus, or shrubs ; stemless 

 or arborescent, or climbing by means of aerial roots," {Lindl.) referred 

 by Endl. to 38 genera. Of these, Spreng. syst. enumerates 42 species for 

 S. America, Mexico and the W. Indies ; 1 1 for Europe ? 6 for N. America ; 



4 for N. Holland ; 1 for Siberia ; 1 for China ; 3 for .Japan ; ] for S. Afri- 

 ca ; 1 for Guinea : 1 for N. Africa ; 1 for Syria ; and 1 for Tauria, and 

 Caucasus. The Indian species, described by Roxb., amount to 48. Of 

 additional species Wallich's several publications enumerate about 16, 

 Royles ill. 3, and J. Graham's. Cat. B. pi. p. 4, in all 7 1 ; viz. 1 of Pistia ; 

 1 of Ambrosinia ; 3 of Cryptocoryne ; 4 of AriscBma ; 1 of Sauromatum ; 



5 of Typhonium ; 4 of Pythonium ; 1 of Amorphophallus ; 1 of Remusatia ; 

 9 of Colocasia ; 1 of Aglaonama (Arum. Lk.) ; 3 of Homalonema (one of 

 these Calla occulta, Lour.) ; 13 of Scindapsus ; 1 of Pothos ; 2 of Lasia ; 

 I of Dracontium ; and 2 of Acorus. The remaining 22 species we have 

 not been able to adapt to Endl. and Schott's Araceous synopsis, partly from 

 want of specimens, and partly from the inaccuracy of the descriptions. 

 Acridity prevails in most species of the order, and is in some American ones 

 so concentrated as to make them dangerous poisons. As, however, this 

 principle is abstracted by cooking, drying, washing with water, and even 

 by long cultivation, the fecula redundant in many of their under-ground 

 stems remains, and may be rendered available as an article of diet. This is 

 the case with a great many of our Indian Arums, well known under the 

 common name of Kuchoo. 



A. AviZAL, (Aracese, Endl. gen. pi. p. 233.) 

 a. Pisteince. (Pistiacese, Endl. I. c.) 

 Pistia, L. {Spreng. syst. 3, p. 7.')7, No. 3063 ; — Endl. I. c.) 



1. Stratiotes, L. {Spreng. syst. 'S,p. 772; — Jacq. amer. p. 234, t. 148 ; ed. 

 pict. I. 225 ,—Roxb. fi. ind. 3, p. 131 ;— /. Grah. Cat. B. pi p. 200. 

 — Tala iiidica. Lour. i—Rhced. 1 1, A 32 i—Rumpk. 6, 1. 74.) ^t?PHt^1 



