Wake Robin. 295 



will be found, the upper part of which is quite naked and the 

 lower part covered with naked flowers. At the bottom stands 

 several tiers of round ovaries ; above them are placed two 

 or three rows of abortive ovaries in the form of horned, pear- 

 shaped bodies ; then appears a crowd of stamens ; and above 

 these is again collected a small cluster of abortive ovaries. 

 The ovaries are so many naked, fertile flowers ; the stamens 

 are each as naked, sterile flowers ; and the inflorescence is, in 

 strict technical language, a crowded monoecious spike, wrap- 

 ped up in a large, leafy bract. The ovary is puckered and 

 hollowed out at the apex for a stigma, and contains two ovules, 

 orowing from the side of a single cell. The stamen has a 

 short, thick filament, with two round lobes placed obliquely on 

 its end for an anther. The fruit ripens in the form of a spike 

 of orange-colored, roundish berries, each of which contains a 

 single seed, enclosing a monocotyledonous embryo, surrounded 

 by farinaceous albumen. On. one side of the embryo is a 

 narrow slit, at the bottom of which lies the minute point or 

 plumule which eventually becomes the new stem. 



Pliny tells us that the leaves of the Arum were anciently 

 used to preserve cheese, by covering it over with them. 

 Wedelius is of opinion, that the Chara which Caesar's soldiers 

 found abundantly about Dyrrachium, was this plant. Being 

 reduced to straits for want of provisions, they mixed the roots 

 with milk and made them into a sort of bread. This proba- 

 bly was the Italian Arum, the roots of which are considerably 

 larger than those of England, and might certainly be eaten 

 with safety after having their acrid nature destroyed by several 

 waters. This species was formerly called Starch Wort, on 

 account of the roots being employed to stiffen frills and ruffs, 

 particularly in the time of Queen Elizabeth, when these orna- 

 ments were worn by gentlemen as well as ladies. They are 

 also occasionally used for soap. It is from them, dried and 

 powdered, that the French make a wash for the skin, which is 

 esteemed a good and innocent cosmetic, and which sells for a 

 high price under the name of Cypress powder. Sir Hans 

 Sloane says, that a species of these plants is carefully culti- 

 vated in the West India plantations, principally for the sake 

 of the leaves, which are boiled and eaten like spinach or cab- 



