Araceae
YASIN J. NASIR
National Herbarium, Agricultural Research Council,
Islamabad.
Monoecious or paradioecious perennial herbs or shrubs, sometimes epiphytic or aquatic. Roots adventitious. Stem aerial or modified into rhizome, corm or tubers. Leaves alternate, entire or divided. Inflorescence a spadix, subtended by a spathe. Flowers ebracteate, uni- or bisexual, usually protandrous. Perianth usually absent, sometimes of 6 tepals in bisexual flowers (absent in Monstera). Stamens usually 6, free or united, staminodes occasional. Ovary 1-3-locular; ovules few-many; stigma small and sessile. Fruit a berry; seeds few-many.
A large family of 115 genera and c. 2000 species, mostly tropical. Represented in Pakistan by 11 genera and 13 species, of which 6 genera are commonly cultivated. There may be other cultivated genera also.
Araceae indet.
Tuber ovoid-oblong, with stout fibrous roots. Leaves cordate-ovate, 16 cm x 9-10.5 cm, petiole 24-27 cm long, base sheathing.
Kashmir: C-7 above Dhuli, 18.4.52, R.R. Stewart & E. Nasir 23720 (RAW).
There are 2 sheets of this aroid at the National Herbarium, but unfortunately both specimens are vegetative. Last year at the end of May, I went to the area from where it was last collected, but did not succeed in finding it. It may even be a juvenile stage of Arisaema utile Hook. f. as suggested by Dr. Nicolson. Fl.Per.: Probably May.
Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for financing this research under PL-480. Thanks are also due to Dr. D. Nicolson, Curator of the Botany Department, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Dr. H. Hara, Botany Dept. Univ. of Tokyo, and Messrs B.L. Burtt, I.C. Hedge and Miss J. Lamond of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh for giving valuable suggestions and going through the manuscript.
