After the flowers mature the hood shrivels and falls away, the blankets disappear, and the pointed leaf-bud then unfolds, the leaves pushing forth with fine springing curves. The strong odor of the plant prevents close observation, and denies to it the praise its growth deserves. In habit it is highly gregarious, and favorable meadows are thickly sprinkled with these rich-hued hoods of our earliest spring flower. [Illustration: SKUNK CABBAGE: Symplocarpus fœtidus.] *Golden Club.* _Orontium aquaticum._ Found in ponds, or standing water, in early May. The flower-spike and leaves lie upon the water, or hold themselves just above its surface, springing on long stems from the submerged root. The oblong, narrow leaf is thick and juicy, with an entire margin, that is conspicuously folded together and joined at the base, and a smooth surface. In color it is a rich-toned green with a bloom above, the under surface being shining and pale and much colored by fine speckles of bronze. The leaf-stem is round, porous, smooth, and bronzy. The small, flat, indefinite flowers are inset closely upon a round club, in a smooth, curiously patterned mosaic-work of a bright golden-yellow color. This club terminates a smooth porous stem, which becomes large and is flattened on one side beneath the flowers; it is streaked with bronze beneath the water, but clear white above its surface. “I don’t feel as if I should search for it!” said the farmer when he saw this plant for the first time. [Illustration: GOLDEN CLUB: Orontium aquaticum.] *Green Dragon.* _Arisæma Dracontium._ *Dragon-root.* Found in moist shade, in May. The root produces usually one leaf-stem, 1 to 2 feet high, which bears the blossom-stem. The leaflets of the compound leaf are 5 to 13 in number, in shape oblong, tapering at both ends, and entire; the surface is smooth, and a rich dark green color. The stem is smooth, round, and light green. The little flowers are borne on the base of a long wand, which projects one or two inches beyond the ensheathing wrapper,--both wand and envelope are green; the stem is round, smooth, and green, and grows from the side of the leaf-stem. This well-named plant has many marks of the dragon upon it; its solitary leaf spreads, particularly when unfolding, a green claw-like hand above the flowers, and all about the club-shaped root-bulb grow numerous flesh-colored bulblets highly suggestive of his dragon-ship’s toes! [Illustration: GREEN DRAGON: Arisæma Dracontium.] *Jack-in-the-Pulpit.* _Arisæma triphyllum._ *Indian Turnip.* Found in damp shady nooks, blossoming in May. The root sends up two or three leaf-bearing stems which vary from 8 to 20 inches in height.