Flora Medica

ARACE.S:.the seed behind still attached to it. Seed single, ovate-cordate, somewhat2-lobed, covered at the base with a thin, red, succulent aril. Albumen0. Embryo hooked, very succulent. The fruit cut into transversepieces and dried is an article of some importance in HindooMateria Medica, called Guj-pippul, and sold by the druggists under thatname. Roxb.DIEFFENBACHIA.Spathe convolute. Spadix completely covered, pseudo-hermaphroditeat the base, male next the upper end. Antherssubsessile ;the cells opening by a pore at the apex. Ovaries1-celled, surrounded by 3 sterile stamens. No manifest style ;ovule solitary, erect ; stigma capitate.1289. D. Seguina Schott. meletem. 20. Caladium SeguinumVent. Willd. sp. pi.iv. 490. Hookers Exot. t. fl.1. ArumSeguinum Linn. sp. pi. 1371. West India Islands. (DumbCane.)A small, arborescent, palm-like, herbaceous plant. Stem 5-6 feet high,slender, scarred by the remains of fallen leaves. Leaves ovate-oblong,undulated, acute, with a thick midrib, and often perforated. Spathes axillary,5-6 inches long, oblong, stalked, pale green, convolute, with the apexof the spadix just protruding. Spadix cylindrical, wholly male at the apex,whollyfemale, with abortive stamens intermixed at the base,and naked inthe middle. Anthers sessile, consolidated into peltate hexangular bodies.Ovaries roundish, terminated by flat sessile lobed stigmas, and surroundedby clavate pellucid processes. According to Sir Wm. Hookerthe ovaries are 2-celled, with several ovules in each cell : this isat variance with Schott's character of the genus as given above; Iknow not which is right.One of the most venomous of all knownplants.If the rhizoma is chewed it produces a dangerous swelling ofthe tongue, and is said to produce dumbness when merely applied tothe lips.Sir Wm. Hooker says that the slightest application of thejuice of the spadix to the tongue gives great pain. The juice is said toimpart an indelible stain to linen. Browne says that the stem is employedin the West Indies to bring sugar to a good grain, when thejuice is too viscid, and cannot be made to granulate properlv by theapplicationof lime alone.ACORACEJE.'Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 365.ACORUS.A spadix naked and closely covered with flowers. Flowerssurrounded with 6 scales. Ovaries 3-celled ;about 6 suspendedovules in each cell; stigmas 3-lobed. Berries 1-seeded.1290. A. Calamus Linn, sp.pl. 4-62. E. Bot. t. 356. Woodv.606