218 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



slit open lengthwise with a sharp knife. 

 The whole embryo of the future plant 

 to its minutest detail may be traced 

 snugly encased in its numerous cover- 

 ings. This is an interesting floral 

 dissection for a beginner. When fully 

 developed the leaves are arrow-shaped, 

 of a vivid dark green, often beautifully 

 blotched with purple spots, whence it 

 gets its specific name of maculatum 

 (spotted). The Arum is one of the 

 I are exceptions to one of the primary 

 rules in the natural classification of 

 plants, and which is often of great use 

 to a young botanist in identifying a 

 species, viz : — that plants with two 

 seed-leaves (Dicotyledons) have the 

 veins of the leaves reticulated, whilst 

 plants with one seed-leaf (Monocotyle- 

 dons) have the veins running parallel 

 with the margins, and never interlacing, 

 as in grasses and lilies. Although the 

 Arum belongs to this division, its 

 leaves are beautifully recticulated, the 

 veins forming a network, branching 

 and running into each other, although 

 ultimately coalescing and running par- 

 allel to the margin withou touchmg it. 

 But it is in the structure and arrange- 

 ment of the flowers that the Arum is 

 so singular and unique. Many who 

 may never have seen or recognized the 

 Arum as a wild plant may yet be 

 familiar with its general appearance 

 from its closely-allied congener so 

 popular as a window plant, the Calla 

 or lily of the Nile, the typical belauded 



lily of the present absurd aesthetic 

 craze. Although less gaudy, the flow- 

 ers of its British representative are 

 equally interesting. From between 

 the four or five leaves, a stalk arises a 

 span high, bearing a large membraneous 

 leaf at the top (the spathe). Ulti- 

 mately this partly expands, leaving a 

 hollow cylindrical portion, from the 

 centre of which protrudes a violet or 

 purple-hued, club-shaped, fleshy stalk 

 about four inches in height, extending 

 about two inches above the flowers 

 which are seated on it, and though 

 they are comparatively inconspicuous 

 and imperfect, they are yet essentially 

 effective. At the mouth of the tube 

 formed by the enveloping leaf, and 

 where the throat is slightly contracted, 

 is a row of projecting hairs, forming a 

 fringe to the orifice, and all pointing 

 downwards, allowing to insects a ready 

 entrance into the enlarged cavity below, 

 but effectually barring their egress. 

 We have here then a large overhanging 

 leaf like a hood and an attractively 

 coloured projecting stalk to allure un- 

 wary insects who, from curiosity or in 

 search of food or shelter, enter this 

 inviting chamber, and are then effectu- 

 ally immured in its, to them, caver- 

 nous depths. This elaborate contri- 

 vance for entrapping heedless prisoners 

 was until recently overlooked, or, at 

 least, not understood; but recent 

 research has revealed the fact, that 

 their visits are essential to the fertili- 



