ARACE^. 1 5 



some hours after the opening of the spathe it may bo felt with the hands, or tested 

 with the thermometer. 



SPECIES II.-ARUM I TALI CUM. Mm. 



Plate MCCCXCIII. 

 Beich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. VH. Tab. XI. Fig. 11. 



Leaves appearing in the beginning of ■winter; petiole, measured 

 from the top of the dilated petiole to the lamina, usually much exceed- 

 ing the length of the latter (including the basal lobes) ; lamina oblong- 

 triangular, entire, deeply cordate-sagittate or hastate-sagittate, with 

 the basal lobes about half as long as the rest of the leaf. Spathe about 

 three times as long as the spadix, the upper part oval, concave ; apex 

 often falling over very shortly after expansion, and before it begins 

 to fade. Abortive pistils above and below the anthers, and greatly 

 exceeding them in length, those below the anthers rather numerous, 

 though fewer than those above. 



In shady places, on the underclifF in the Isle of Wight. Rather 

 frequent from St. Laurence to Bonchurch, and probably extending 

 further westward. 



England. Perennial. Late Summer. 



Very similar to A. maculatum, but a larger and stouter plant, the 

 rhizome frequently attaining the size of a small e^^, but more slender. 

 Leaf-sheaths tougher, more tinged with purple. Petioles (exclusive 

 of the sheath), 9 to 18 inches long; lamina (including the lobes), 

 6 inches to 1 foot long, more triangular, with the basal lobes longer 

 than in A. maculatum, and, according to Mr. Hambrough, diverging; 

 but the Isle of Wight plant, cultivated by me, has the lobes not more 

 divaricate than in A. maculatum, but usually bent upwards sharply 

 at a right angle : when the leaf is j^ressed flat in drying, the lobes 

 diverge, and give the appearance of a hastate leaf, which I have never 

 seen in the li\dng plant, even in cultivated specimens of the continental 

 A. Italicum. Spathe S to 15 inches long, greenish-white, thin, and 

 apparently unable to support its own weight, as (at least in large 

 examples) it falls over, commonly inwards, but sometimes outwards, 

 a few hours after it expands. In small specimens this falling over 

 frequently does not take place, and the edges become involute, as in 

 A. maculatum, than which species A. Italicum flowers (in cultivation) 

 a month or six weeks later. Abortive pistils twice as long in pro- 

 portion as in A. maculatum. Naked summit of the club always ]«xle 

 yellow: in A. maculatum it is often purple, though sometimes pale 

 yellow. Fruiting-scape 1 to 2 feet high ; berries very similar to those 

 of A. maculatum, but longer. Seeds usually only 1 or 2 in each berry, 

 nearly as large as a sweet pea-seed, and consequently larger than in the 



