55 
POTHOS VIOLACEA. 
Violet-fruited Pothos. 
TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA.— Nat. Ord. AROIDEJE. 
Gen. Char. — Spatha monophylla. Spadix cylindraceus, undique floribus 
tectus. Perianihium tetraphyllum. Bacca di-tetrasperma. 
Pothos violacea; foliis ovato-oblongis utrinque acutis reticulato-venosis 
trinervibus coriaceis subtus punctatis, spatha ovato-lanceolata acumi- 
nulata reflexa spadice breviore, pedunculo tereti. 
Pothos violacea, Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. v. i. p. 270. — Willd. Sp. PL v. i. 
p. 685. — Ait. Hort. Km. ed. 2. v. i. p. 268. — Humb. et Kunth, iVov. 
Gen. V. i. p. 63. t. I9. 
This appears to be a climbing parasitical plant in its native forests. Stems, 
in our stoves, reaching to the height of 2 or 3 feet, slightly branched, 
knotted, throwing out from various parts of their whole length thickish 
fleshy roots, and sheathed, especially the younger shoots, with long nar- 
row green stipules, which remain withered, brown and lacerated, for a 
considerable time. 
Leaves alternate, about 5 inches long, ovato-oblong, acute at each extremity, 
marked with 3 nerves, the lateral ones obscure, and these connected by 
reticulated nerves ; coriaceous, dark green, paler and dotted beneath. 
Petioles about an inch long, cylindrical, thick. 
Spadix axiUary, or rather arising from the base of the petiole, scarcely an 
inch in length, cylindrical, situated upon a peduncle about as long as it- 
self, and furnished at the base with a spatha shorter than itself, ovato- 
lanceolate, acuminulate, reflexed, and with its margins decidedly re- 
curved. 
Flowers closely crowded, entirely covering the spadix. Each of these con- 
sists of 4 cuneate, truncated, hollow scales (perianth or calyx of most 
authors) surrounding the organs of fructification. Stamens 4 round each 
germen, one in each scale, and rising with its anther just above them. 
Filament remarkably dilated, white, semicylindrical at the very base. 
Anther terminal, its back turned to the pistil, didymous, 2-celled, the 
cells opening transversely, yellowish as well as the pollen. Germen 
spherical, rather longer than the stamens, 2-celled, with 4 ovules. Style 
none. Stigma with a longitudinal groove, spreading. Berries surroimd- 
ed at the base with the scales of the perianth, numerous upon the spadix, 
VOL. I. 
