Zomicarpa
(from zoma, a kind of skirt, and karpos, a fruit; the pericarp of the fruit, when ripe, bursts at the bottom and remains, covering the seeds like a skirt). ORD. Aroideae (Araceae). A small genus (three species) of stove, tuberous, perennial herbs, natives of Brazil. Flowers monoecious; perianth none; spathe rather fleshy, persistent, the tube convolute, hooded at base, with connate margins, the throat constricted, the lamina lanceolate, acuminate, reticulate-veined; spadix shorter than, and adnate at base with, the spathe, with a slender appendage; male inflorescence dense, female few-flowered; peduncle slender, equalling the leaves. Leaves appearing-before the flowers, long-petiolate, reniform, tripedatisect; segments elliptic-oblong, the lateral ones smaller; petioles sheathing towards the base. The species require similar culture to that recommended for Staurostigma.
Z. Pythonium (Pythonium). fl., spathe glaucous-violet; spadix slightly exceeding the spathe tube, the naked part subulate, shorter than the inflorescence; peduncle terete. l. reniform; segments five, distant at base, the lateral ones half-lanceolate and ovate-oblong, the middle one broadly elliptic; petioles slender, terete, rather broadly sheathing, thrice as long as the blades. h. 1ft. 1860. This plant is regarded as an antidote in cases of serpent bites.
Z. Riedeliana (Riedel's). fl., spathe green; spadix much exceeding the spathe tube, the naked part club-shaped, longer than the inflorescence. l. reniform; segments mucronate-cuspidate, the upper one distant from the approximate lateral ones; petioles thrice as long as the leaves, rather broadly sheathing at base. h. 1ft. 1860. (Ref. B. 15.) Z. Steigeriana (Steiger's). fl., spathe blackish-purple, arched at apex; spadix whitish and dark fuscous-purple, not reaching beyond the middle of the spathe, the appendage club-shaped; peduncle rather longer than the petioles. l. green, paler beneath, trisected; segments equal or unequal, oblong-or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate at apex, abruptly cuneate at base; petioles fuscous-spotted and striolate. h. 1ft. 1860.