348 92. ARACE^. 



4. S. minimum (Fr.); st. simple flaccid, 1. linear floating blunt 

 not enlarged at the base, heads few racemose or spiked distant, 

 only 1 male head, fr. sessile ovoid shortly healed. — S. natans 

 Sm., E. B. 273. R. ix. 324.— St. slender. L. pale, pellucid, 

 long. — Lakes and ditches. P. VII. VIII. 



Order XCII. ARACE^E. 



Fl. monoecious or perfect, placed on a spadix and usually in 

 a spath. Barren and fertile fl. usually on different parts of the 

 spadix. Perianth none, or of 4 — 8 scales. Stam. many or de- 

 finite. Anth. turned outwards. Ovary free, with 1 or more cells. 

 Stigma sessile. Fr. succulent. Embryo slit on one side. 



1. AcoRUS. Spath 0. Fl. on a sessile spadix. Perianth 

 6-leaved, inferior, persistent. Stam. 6, filiform. 



2. Abum. Spath convolute at the base. Perianth 0. Male 

 fl. of 1 sessile 2-celled anther. Fem. fl. placed lower, of 1 

 pistil. Top of spadix naked. Fr. succulent. 



1. AcoRUS. Sweet Flag. 



1. A. Calamus (L.) ; scape with a long leaflike prolongation 

 beyond the spadix.— i;. B. 356. R. x. 42.9.— St. 5—6 feet high, 

 resembling the 1., swordshaped, flattened. Spadix completely 

 covered by the flowers, 2 — 3 in. long, lateral. St. and 1. sweet- 

 scented when crushed. — In water, rare ; more common in Xorf. 

 and Suif. P. VI. E. S. 



2. Arum Linn. Cuckoo-pint. 



1. A. macnlatum (L.); I. all radical hastate-sagittate with 

 deflexed lobes green or spotted with purple, spadix clubshaped 

 straight falling short of the spath. — E. B. 1298. R. vii. 8. — 

 Root tuberous. L. vernal, with branching veins. Spath ventri- 

 cose below and above, constricted in the middle, with inflexed 

 edges when open. Spadix blunt; with ovaries at the base; above 

 them whorls of stamens; then a few filaments, probably abortive 

 j)istils ; club naked. Berries scarlet, many-seeded, remaining 

 after the rest of the plant has disappeared. — Hedge-banks and 

 thickets. P. IV. V. 



2. A. italicum (Mill.); I. all radical triangular-hastate with 

 divaricate lobes and yellow veins, spadix clubshaped straight 

 falling short of the widely spread spath. — R. vii. 11. — L. appear- 

 ing before the winter, of a dark blue-green. Spath ventricose 

 below, opening nearly flat and very broad above. Abortive 

 pistils very long, both above and below the stamens. Berries 



