The New Student's Reference Work/Aroids

A'roids, the common name of the great plant family Araceæ, which contains about 1,000 species. The great display of aroids is in the tropics, where they are remarkably diversified. In our own flora, Jack-in-the-pulpit, sweet flag and skunk cabbage may be taken as representatives. One of the best known forms is the cultivated calla-lily. The feature of the group is the huge enveloping bract or spathe, which incloses the fleshy spike of inconspicuous flowers.