GENUS MARANTA. 815 



and M. carthaginensis {Euphorbiacem). M. utilissima yields the bitter cassava and M. aipr the 

 sweet cassava. Pariera (loc cit., page 383) states that this starch consists of single grains which in 

 the living plant were united in groups or compound grains, each being composed of two, three, or 

 four grains. Most are muller-shaped, and therefore were united in the plant in groups of two each. 

 When seen endwise they appear circular or globular. Some are truncated, egg-shaped grains with 

 one or two facets at the truncation. The hilum is circular and surrounded with rings, and bursts 

 in a stellate manner (see Manihot, page 876). Another form of Brazilian arrowroot and from an 

 entirely different kind of plant is the starch of the common sweet potato, Batatus edulis or Ipomcea 

 batatas {Convolvulacea:). This starch is described by Hanausek {loc. cit., page 46) as being a fine 

 powder consisting either of aggregates or of grains separated from aggregates, the individual grains 

 being hemispherical, sugar-loaf-shaped, club-shaped, and polygonal, the larger measuring 20 to 

 50/i. The hilum is eccentric, mostly with radiating clefts, and the lamellae are distinct. (See Batatus 

 edulis, page 884.) 



Tahiti arrowroot comes chiefly from the Hawaiian Islands, and for a time was stated to be 

 obtained from Tacca oceanica, but it has since been shown that this plant is identical with T. pin- 

 natifida (see Taccacece, page 686). From this plant a starch is also prepared in the East Indian 

 province of Arracen. Pariera {loc. cit., page 221) records it as a white powder with a slight musty 

 odor. The grains are circular, muller-shaped, or polyhedral. Some midler-shaped forms are slightly 

 narrowed at the base, and the base instead of being flat appears to be hollowed out. The hilum is 

 small and circular and is cracked in a linear or stellate manner. The lamellae are few and not very 

 distinct, and the prevalent size is 0.008 by 0.00007 inch. (See Tacca, page 686.) 



A starch from Chili which is sold under the name of Talcahuano arrowroot is made from the 

 tuberous root of several species of Alstrcemeria, chiefly probably A. ligtu. (See Alstrwmeria, page 

 658.) 



Colocasia (Aroidea;) also yields a starch that has been marketed as an arrowroot. 



Under the name of koonti, or coontie, is sold an arrowroot prepared in Florida and in Bahama 

 and West Indian islands from the rhizomes of several species of Zamia {Cycadacew). The Florida 

 species are chieflj' Z. floridana and Z. pumila, which are usually referred to Z. integrifolia, the latter 

 being West Indian. ArrowToot is prepared from the seeds of Dioon {CycadaceoB) . (See Dioon, 

 page 896.) 



A Chinese arrowroot is made from the root-stocks of Nelumbo speciosa (Nymphceacew), from 

 which species was also obtained the Pythagorean bean or sacred bean of the ancients. (See iVeZ- 

 umho, page 849.) 



A so-called English arrowroot was claimed to be a true or a pseudo potato starch, but Nageli 

 (Die Starkekorner, etc., loc. cit.) found that it is a variety of Jamaica or West Indian arrowToot. 

 He describes the grains as being oval, elongated coniform, three- or four-cornered, and most of them 

 more or less irregular. The diameter corresponding to the hilum is from two-thirds to twice the 

 length of the transverse diameter. The hilum end is the thicker and narrower. The lamellae are 

 fine and fairly distinct, the outer lamellae often forming a separate system. Most grains are unfis- 

 sured; occasionally in place of the hilum there is a very short, longitudinal, or transverse fissure, 

 or there may be short radiating fissures. The fissures may form a three-armed figure, or an oblique 

 cross, but seldom a true cross. 



It will be observed from the foregoing that the arrowi-oots of commerce have been obtained 

 from various species, varieties, and forms which represent eleven families, including, Marantacece, 

 Zingeberacece, Aroidece, Cannacece, Dioscoracea, Musacece, Euphorbiacece, Convolvulacea; , Amarylli- 

 dacece, Nymphacece, and Cycadaceoe; seven orders, including Scitaminales, Araks, Liliales, Geraniales, 

 Cycadales, Polemoniales, and Ranales; and three classes, Monocotyledones, Dicotyledones, and Gymno- 

 spermce. Doubtless a careful search into the literature of the true and false arro^TOots would show 

 other sources. The importance that has fallaciously been attributed to arrowroots as an article of 

 diet in the sick room because chiefly of their assumed greater digestibility than starches generally 

 has been referred to elsewhere (see Part I, page 194). 



STARCH OF MARANTA ARUNDINACEA. (Plate 88, figs. 523 and 524. Chart 345.) 



Histological Characteristics. In form the grains are almost wholly simple and isolated, with 

 the exception of a small number which rarely occur in small aggregates (doublets). There are a few 

 compound grains. Pressure facets are very seldom observed. More of the grains are regular, 



