300 



CLASSIFICATION 



mass over the surface; each plant consists of a thal- 

 loid leaf-like shoot with a capillary tap-root and a 

 small spathe of i to 3 very small monoecious 

 flowers (fig. 268) on the side of the thallus 

 or below it; the tap-roots show the root- 

 cap beautifully ; sar-kachu or sola-kachu 

 {Colocasia nymphceifolia, Kunth), culti- 

 vated to a small extent; 61 {Amorphophal- 

 lus campanulatus), largely cultivated for its 

 roundish warty thick corms (see fig. 19). 

 Both 61 and ghet-kachu are odourless during the 

 day but emit a foetid odour (nauseous flowers) during 

 night and are pollinated by carrion-flies. Coloured 

 spathe and appendix and foetid 

 smell are the attractions for in- 

 sects, and in many species there 

 is a pitfall arrangement for en- 

 trapping them. 



Nat. Order 3. PandanacecB. — 

 This consists of palm-like often 

 branched trees or shrubs with tri- 

 stichous long leaves spinous at 

 the margin, apex, and often at 

 the keel or back of the mid-rib. 

 Kia and keorha, different species 

 of Pandanus or Screw Pines, are 

 well-known plants with dioecious 

 spadices of whitish odorous 

 flowers of a pale-white colour en- 

 closed in leafy pale-green or white 

 spathes. They abound in village 

 thickets and hedges and in the 

 The spadices are in great re- 

 catechu to be chewed with pan 



Fig. 269, 



atigustata) 



Hogla. (Typha 



Sunderban swamps 

 quest for scenting 



(Betel-leaf) and also for the manufacture of scented 



