1 
CALADIUM Seguinum. 
Dumb Cane. 
MONGECIA POLYANDRIA Nat. Ord. AROIDE^. 
Gen. Char. — Masc. Cal. 0. Cor. 0. Antherce peltatas, multiloculares, in 
spicam ad apicem spadicis compositae. 
FcEM. Cal. 0. Cor. 0. Germina ad basin spadicis inserta. Stt/lus 0. Bacca 
uni- (bi-) locularis, polysperma.-— fTe'ZW. 
Caladium Seguinum; caulescens suberectum, foliis oblongo-ovatis cuspi- 
datis, spadice spatha oblonga breviore, 
C. Seguiniun, Willd. Sp. PI. v. iv. p. 490. — Aiton, Hort. Ketv. ed. 2. v. 5. 
p. 312. 
Arum Seguinum, Linn. -Sp. PL p. 1371, 
Stem from 3 to 5, and even 6 feet in height, and sometimes as thick as a man's 
wrist ; it is generally a little procumbent at the base, then erect, naked, 
jointed, green, often discoloured with the dried sheathing bases of the 
former years' leaves, smooth, succulent, filled with a green, highly acrid 
juice. Leaves all springing from the summit of the stem, 8 or 10 inches 
in length, ovato-oblong, cuspidate, undulated, having a thick midrib, 
and lateral parallel veins, their substance marked with pellucid white 
spots, often perforated ; they are horizontal or deflexed, deep green, sub- 
coriaceous, petiolated, petioles about half as long as the leaves, channel- 
led, sheathing, sheaths terminated in a short green ligule, as in the grasses. 
From the sheathing bases of these petioles, arise the spathas, which are 
5 or 6 inches in length, oblong, pedunculated, pale green, convoluted, 
rather shorter than the spadix, which is cylindrical, but attached for the 
greater part of its length to the spatha. 
Stamens covering the upper and free part of the spadix all around, peltate, 
hexangular, their sides bearing several oblong, pendent, 2-celled Anthers, 
filled with a white pollen. The centre of the spadix is naked, or only 
bears a few abortive stamens. The lower part, on the side not attach- 
ed to the spatha, is covered with numerous greenish, nearly spherical, 
2-celled pistils, mostly temate, in transverse rows, and furnished at the 
base with 2 or 4 white, clavate bodies, which I suspect to be abortive 
Anthers. Ovules, several in each cell. Stigmas sessile, large, yellow, 
lobed and wrinkled, viscid. The more advanced state of the fructifica,-3 
tion I have not seen, as the plant does not bear fruit with us. 
VOL. I. 
