NAT. ORDER. 
Aroideoe. 
CALLA ^THIOPICA. COMMON CALLA. 
Class XX. Gynandria. Order II. Diandria. 
Gen. Char. Spathe, one-leafed, cucullate. Calyx and Corolla, none. 
Spadix, naked above, bearing- sessile anthers below the middle, 
and germens at the base. Berry, one-celled, many-seeded. 
Spe. Char. — Stemless. Leaves, ternate. Leaflets, ovate, acuminate, 
very entire. Spadix, clavate. Spathe, ovate, convolute. 
This genus contains plants of the herbaceous flowery perennial 
green-house kinds, Arum and its species. The calyx is a one-leafed 
spathe, ovate-cordate, acuminate, colored at the top, very large, spread- 
ing, permanent ; the spadix finger-shaped, quite single, erect, covered 
with fructifications ; corolla none ; the stamens consist of some filaments 
intermixed with the germs the length of the pistils ; they are perma- 
nent, compressed and truncate ; the anthers are simple, truncate and 
sessile ; the pistillum to each is a roundish obtuse germ ; the style 
simple, very short ; the stigma acute ; the pericarpium contains as 
many berries as there are pistils, four-cornered, globular, pulpy, and 
one-celled ; the seeds are numerous, six to twelve, solitary, cylindric, 
and obtuse at both ends ; the leaves, which are heart-arrow-shaped, 
originate in clusters from the roots, are shining above, and are on long 
footstalks ; the flowers are peculiarly graceful, at first of a greenish 
tinge, afterwards changing to the most perfect white ; the stamens are 
above, the pistils below, set so closely together as not easily to be dis- 
tinguished. 
The Ethiopian or Common Calla, is a well-known green-house 
Vol. hi. — 156. 
