NOV. 19, 1921 proceedings: BOTANICAL SOCIETY 475 



primitive agricultural practices of the people, being largely instrumental 

 in bringing about such serious local food shortages as that which recently 

 caused great hardship in Bohol. 



J. F. ClEVEnger: Zamia integrifolia Chapm., and its starch, Florida 

 arrowroot. (Illustrated with lantern slides). 



Zamia integrifolia Chapm. is a small plant with a crown of leaves charac- 

 teristic of the Cycadaceae, to which family this plant belongs. It has an 

 enlarged tuberous-like stem which grows below the level of the ground. It 

 is of interest that numerous prominent root tubercles occur on the roots of 

 this plant. It is restricted to a limited region in the vicinity of Miami, 

 Florida. It has not been found very far south of Miami and not much north 

 of Dania, Florida, nor in regions which are liable to overflow. 



GifTord reports "that in its raw state the leaves, seed and stems are 

 undoubtedly poisonous." He further states "that animals which drink 

 the red water from washing the starch usually die of slow poisoning." There 

 are no available statements relative to the nature of this poison. 



The starch has been prepared by the Seminole Indians and natives of 

 South Florida by rather crude mills. The starch thus obtained constitutes 

 an important source of food. For some time there existed in southern 

 Florida two mills of comparatively large capacity, one at Dania and one at 

 Little River. At the present time only the mill at Little River is engaged 

 in the manufacturing of this starch. 



The method for the preparation of this starch consists in grinding the 

 rhizomes in the undried condition, mixing the ground material thus obtained 

 with water, and subsequently running it over a fine screen. The starch 

 is thus separated from the main portion of the fibrous material. This starchy 

 material is then conveyed to settling tanks where the starch becomes further 

 purified by a sedimentation process. This starch is subsequently dried and 

 readv for the market. 



It is believed to have been used by the natives who preceded the Seminoles, 

 as a source of food. It supplied the early settlers with food, and to some 

 extent, at least, enters into the arrowroot biscuit of commerce. It is in- 

 teresting to point out that the people frequently dig up these rhizomes, 

 soak them in water, and subsequently use them for fertilizer. The plant 

 has been used as a pot plant, by transplanting. 



Judging from the rapidly diminishing areas over which this plant grows, 

 the apparent improbability of growing the plant profitably on new areas, 

 and the long periods of waiting before the rhizomes from any given region 

 may be subsequently dug up with profit, it is improbable that the starch 

 will ever have anything more than a limited use. 



The paper of Mr. Arno Viehoever was postponed to the 152d regular 

 meeting. R. Kent Beattie, Acting Secretary. 



