THE ARUM FAMILY. 



135 



flowers, either with or without floral envelopes, bisexual 

 or unisexual on different parts of the spadix. Fruit a 

 succulent berry, distinct or forming a fleshy compound 

 fruit. 



About 200 species are known of this family, the her- 

 baceous section being natives of the northern hemisphere, 

 but the greater number are tropical, with palmid stems 6 to 

 12 feet high ; or ampelids 100, or even more feet in length. 

 They difi'er from most other endogenous plants, the parts 

 of their flowers being arranged in fours, and their leaves 

 being net veined, and sometimes perforated with circular 

 or oblong holes. They generally possess poisonous pro- 

 perties. 



Wake -robin (^Arum maculatum). A well known native 

 of this country, growing in the open parts of woods and 

 waste places. It is known by the peasantry as "lords and 

 ladies" or " cuckoo-pint." Its corm roots are collected in 

 the Island of Portland, and made into sago or " salep," its 

 poisonous properties becoming dissipated by boiling. 



Taro (^Colocasia esculenta, C. antiqnorum, and C. ma- 

 crorliiza). These have large heart-shaped leaves borne on 

 long footstalks, which rise from a short, fleshy, farinaceous 

 corm. Numerous varieties are cultivated throughout all 

 tropical countries. The corms furnish an important article 

 of food to the inhabitants of tropical India, the islands of the 

 Pacific, and also in the West Indies, where they are called 

 " eddoes" and " scratch-coco." Taro is the ge.neral name 

 for them elsewhere. 



Indian kale {Caladium sagittifolmm, C. nyinphcefolium, 

 and Arum divaricatum). These are in habit similar to the 

 preceding, their leaves being used as a vegetable in the Feejee 

 and Sandwich Islands. 



Amorphophallus campanulatus. This remarkable plant 

 is a native of India and many of the Pacific islands, pro- 

 ducing but one large leaf, borne on a long footstalk 5 or 6 



