Araceae

	This Anthurium can be used to show something about the inflorescence of this family. It is called a spadix. The showy read leaf subtending the flowering stalk is called the spathe. The flowers on the stalk are very small. In the case of Jack in the Pulpit, above, the spathe is the "pulpit" in which "Jack" sits. "Jack" would be the actual flowering stalk. The frontal view, in the bottom pic, illustrates how small the flowers really are. These small wart-like structures are the flowers.

	The same kind of anatomy is seen here, with the genus Spathyphyllum. This common ornamental, sometimes called peace lily, shows a white spathe with the obviously prominent but small flowers that run along the inflorescence.
	Orontium aquaticum, golden club, is plentiful of the wet places of Big Levels, a game preserve area in Augusta County near the Blue Ridge mountains. The spadix is covered with tiny bright yellow flowers that contain both pistils and stamens. The spathe is soon deciduous. The long-stalked leaves often float on the water.

	Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is found in wet soil in woods and in open swamps. The large leaves, which appear after the flowers, will have a fetid odor when crushed. The species comes up early in our area (February). The spathe produces so much heat that it will melt snow around the plant.
	Canna is an ornamental genus in our area. The spathes are varible in color and mixes of colors, and the spadix is easily visible. When planted in our part of Virginia as ornamentals, it is probably a good idea to lift them prior to cold weather. Store them in a dark place and replant them in the spring. These flower mostly in early summer.
	This is Arisaema triphylla in fruit. It is technically described as a scarlet berry. Fruits in the flower plant group are an important part of the food chain of animals, and a bright color like this makes the fruit visible to animals in nature.
	Colocasia esculenta, elephant's ear, is a member of this family. It is grown from a bulb and makes an exellent greenhouse plant, or looks good in a collection of plants near a water feature. The leaf is peltate, which means that the petiole of the leaf is attached into the center of the blade, not the edge, which is normally the case.
	Another example of an ornamental in this family would be the Caladiums. These are grown from bulbs, and make a good addition in the garden and out on Bridgewater Campus. The leaves are quite stiking in terms of color variation, as well as variegation.
	This is Monstera, one of the most common indoor plants. The common name is Windowleaf, and that is a good name based on the pic. They handle low-light situations better than most plants.