TH1<] ARUM ORDER 389 



The flowers of palms are borne on a fleshy rachis which is 

 more or less branched and subtended Y^y one or more large, 

 thick bracts. Such a fleshy spike whether simple or branched 

 is called a spadix,^ and the large bract subtending it a spathe:' 



Palms may be distinguished as woody plants, usually loith 

 columnar trunks; large, plume-like or faji-shaped leaves ; flowers 

 on a mostly branched spadix formed within a spathe. 



146. The palm order (Palmales or Principes) includes only 

 the familj' of palms, which from their majestic appearance 

 and high importance were well called by Linnai-us the Princes 

 of the Vegetable Kingdom. From other orders the woody 

 trunks, large and often compound leaves, mostly branched spadix, 

 conspicuous spathe, and the superior ovary with one or ynore 

 cells, and one or more ovules, will generally afford sufficient 

 marks of distinction. 



See formula of Palmales on pages 422, 42.3,. 



147. The arum family (Araceae) is exemphfied by Acorus 

 (Fig. 167, page 174.) 



See formulas of Acorus and Aracea; on pages 422, 423. 



Although the members of this large family differ very much 

 in general appearance and in many details of structure, our 

 common sweet flag represents quite well their essential fea- 

 tures. As in the palms, there is a spadix, although it is always 

 simple; and there is a spathe which, unlike that of the sweet 

 flag, is generally highly colored. In our example, moreover, 

 the spadix, while appearing as if lateral, is in reality terminal, 

 having been pushed to one side by the peculiar elongated 

 spathe which appears to continue the stem. 



The family may be defined as consisting of mostly perennial 

 herbs, sometimes aromatic, often ill-smelling or acrid; with 

 leaves of varied form, often netted-veined; and flowers in a sim- 

 ple spadix, subtended by a more or less petaloid spathe. 



148. The arum order (Arales or Spathiflorae) comprises 



1 Spa'dix < Gt.- spadix, a palm-branch. 



- Spathe < Gr. spathe, a broad flat blade or spatula. The exclama- 

 tion marks used in the formulas after I and B indicate, as usual, the 

 fleshy character, and the obhque line after B, its involucral nature. 



