Flora Medica

HOMALOMENA.1287. H. aromatica Schott meletem. 20. Calla aromaticaRoxb fl.ind. iii. 513. Chittagong.Tubers invested with the withered sheaths of the leaves, withnumerous, long, white, fibrous cords issuing from every part. Stemshort. Leaves radical, long-stalked, in shape between cordate andsagittate, acuminate, lucid ;lobes rounded and rather remote from eachother, in length about 12 inches, and little more than half that in breadth ;petioles smooth, with a sheathing base. Spathes many together, fromthe axils and centre of the leaves, scarcely half the length of thepetioles.. Spathe somewhat cylindrical, rather obtuse, with a point,smooth on both sides, pale greenish yellow. Spadix sub-cylindrical,obtuse, rather longer than the spathe the ; upper two thirds coveredwith sessile, many-celled anthers ;the lower third with the ovaries intermixedwith about as many abortive stamens as there are ovaries.Style 0. Stigma 2 or 3-lobed. Berries oblong, not unlike a large berbery,and rarely containing more than a single seed. When cut thisdiffuses a pleasant aromatic scent, something like that of Zingiberaceae.The medicinal virtues of the rhizoma are in high estimation among thenatives of India; it sells from 10 to 16 rupees the maund. Roxb.SCINDAPSUS.Spathe gaping, afterwards fully expanded, deciduous. Spadixsessile ? at the base, ^elsewhere. Ovaries 1 -celled, with 1-2cells attached to the bottom ;stigma sessile, oblong.1288. S. officinalis Schott meletem. 21. Pothos officinalisRoxb.fl. ind. i. 4-31. Bengal.Stem perennial, creeping up to the top of large trees, and like theIvy, taking firm hold with its innumerable roots ;about as thick as thelittle finger, smooth, except when scarred by the fallen leaves, and bythe roots from the side next the tree which supports it. Leaves alternate,sub-bifarious, stalked, oblong-cordate, entire, pointed, smooth onboth sides ;from 6 to 10 inches long, and from 3 to 6 broad ; petiolessheathing, channelled, smooth, shorter than the leaves. Pedunclesterminal, solitary, round, smooth, scarcely half the length ofthe petioles ;when in flower erect, but often drooping, from the increasing weight ofthe fruit. Spathe nearly cylindrical, about 6 inches long, opening alittle on one side : when in flower, smooth on both sides ; greenishwithout, and of a pale yellow colour within ; apex filiform, and a littletwisted. Spadix nearly cylindrical, obtuse, as long as the spathe, palegreenish yellow, dotted with the dark-coloured stigmas of the numerousovaries which everywhere cover it. Flowers naked. Filaments about8 to each ovary, 2 on each face ; very short, as if inserted on the baseof the ovary ; anthers sub-sagittate, 4-lobed. Ovaries numerous, truncate,completely covering every part of the cylindrical spadix, 1-celled,with 1 seed attached in an oblique manner to the bottom of the cell.The substance of the ovary is replete with rigid, sharp, vertical bristles,which are readily detached, and stick in the skin, causing pain anditching. Stigma, a channel filled with gelatinous matter, running fromthe cell of the ovary to the centre of the truncate apex, where it endsin a small slit, embraced by 2 darker-coloured, somewhat callous lips.Pericarps chiefly sterile, soft, fleshy, ] -celled, 1-valved ;when the fruitis ripe they detach themselves from the spadix, and drop off, leaving605