226 HEXANDItlA M0X0GYN1A 



Herbaceous: leaves radical, entire, petiolate ; spadix terminal, on a terete 

 •cape, with a sheathing radical spatho. Nat. Ord. 256. Lindl. aroidea. 



1. O. Adi'ATicuM, L. Leaves lancc-oval, or obliquely ovate-lanceo- 

 late; scape terete, clavate. Beck % Bot. p. 381. Icos, Bart. Am. 2. 

 tab. 37. 

 AauATic Oroxtium. Vufgo— Golden Club. Never wet. Floating Arum. 



Root perennial. Leaves enlarging, finally 8 to 10 or 12 inches long, and 3 to 5 

 inches wide, a little succulent, very smooth, of a deep green and velvety appear- 

 ance on the upper surface, paler and somewhat glaucous beneath, the lamina ah- 

 ruptly coalescing with the summit o( the petiole ; petiole 2 or 3 to 5 inches long. 

 Spadix I to 2 inches long, terete, a little tapering, terminating a terete clavate 

 scape 6 to 12 or IS inches in length ; the spadix and upper part of the scape yellow. 

 Flowers sessile, crowded. Perianth yellow, with G sepals in the lower flowers, 

 and 1 sepals in those at the apex of the spadix,— the number of stamens corres- 

 ponding. Utricle naked, subglobose, 1 third of an inch in diameter, smooth, deep 

 green. 



Nab. Tools, along the Brandy wine : not unfrequent. Fl. April— May . Fr. August. 

 Obs. The only species in the U. States. 



181. ACORUS. L. JYutt. Gen. 334. 

 [Or. a, privative, and Korc, the pupil of the eye; a supposed remedy for sore eyes.] 



Spadix terete, covered with flowers. Perianth deeply G-partcd, or 

 rather of 6 glumaceous oblong subcucullate sepals, thickened at apex. 

 Ovary superior ; stigma sessile, minute. Capsule 3-celled, angular, 

 indehiscent, many-seeded. 



Herbaceous : leaves radical, ensiform ; spadix lateral, on a leaf-like scape, with- 

 eat a spathc. Nat. Ord. 256. Lindl. Aroide.b. 



1. A. Calamus, /,. Scape ancipital, with a long ensiform point ri- 

 sing much above the spadix. Beck, Bot. p. 381. 

 Vulgo — Calamus. Sweet Flag. 

 Gallicc — Acorc odorant Germ. — Der Kalamus. Ilisp.-Acoro Cdlamo, 



Root perennial. Rhizoma (or subterraneous stem) thick, horizontal, creeping, 

 throwing out the fibrous roots in verticils. Leaves 2 to 3 feet long, and half an 

 inch to near an inch wide, smooth. Scape as long as the leaves, and much resem- 

 bling them, somewhat triangular below the spadix. Spadix sessile on the side of 

 the scape, 2 to 3 inches long, and about half an inch in diameter, terete, tapering 

 to an obtuse point, tessellated with rather small flowers. Sepals greenish, cuneate- 

 oblong, keeled, scarious, incurved and thickened at apex. Capsule subtrigonous- 

 oblong, obtuse, or with a short abrupt point. 



J fab. Swampy meadows; about spring-heads: frequent. Fl. May- June. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The whole plant is warmly aromatic,— especially the creeping subterrane- 

 ous stem, or rhizoma; and is deservedly popular, as a remedy for flatulent colic, &c. 

 It has been found a valuable auxiliary to the Cinchona, in the treatment of Inter- 

 mittents. Our American Botanists speak of it as being'undoubtedly indigenous; 

 but I have never seen it where it did not api^ear like an introduced plant. It is the 

 only specie* in the U. States. 



