ARROWROOT-YIELDING PLANTS. 145 



This plaut, which was first described by Mr. J. Graham of the 

 Bombay Civil Service, is common in the Konkan, Matheran, &c, 

 where it appears at the beginning of the rainy season. The tubers, 

 which are perfectly white inside, are boiled and eaten by the people 

 during seasons of scarcity. Perhaps, this plant too, yields a part 

 of East Indian arrowroot ; for it is stated that in former times, it 

 was manufactured at Ratnagherry from its tubers. (See specimens 

 on the table prepared in Ratnagherry and North- West provinces.) 

 All the plants described above belong to the Nat. Ord. Scitamineae. 



Ariscema turtuosum, var. hellehori folium, Schott Syn. Ar. 29 ; 

 Prodr. 36; Blume in Rumphia 1-105. Sap Kanda (Khandala name). 

 This belongs to the Nat. Orel. Aroideceand is met with at Matheran, 

 Khandala, and other Konkan hills, as well as in the Himalayas, at 

 Simla, Nepal, Sikkim and Mussooree. In the observations appended 

 to the plate 5931 in Curtis' Bot. Mag., Sir J. D. Hooker says that 

 Kt the tuberous roots of this and allied species of Arisoema are used 

 for food in times of scarcity by the Lipchas of Sikkim ; they are 

 prepared by burying them in masses in the ground, until acetous 

 fermentation sets in, when they are dug up, washed and cooked. 

 By this means the poisonous properties of the roots are in part 

 destroyed, but not altogether, and violent illness often follows a 

 hearty meal of ' tong' as this food is called. The nutritious starch> 

 with which these tubers are filled, might be easily separated by 

 grating and washing and an aliment as good as Portland island 

 arrowroot (the starch of Arum maaulatum) be thus procured in. 

 quantities." Though the tuber of this aroid is utilized as food by 

 the Lipchas of Sikkim, it does not appear to be used as such on 

 this side. 



The plant described under the name Arisoema curvatum by Sir J. 

 D. Hooker in Curtis' Bot. Mag. tab. 5931, above alluded to, is in 

 the opinion of Engher, Araceas, D. C. Monogr. Phaneg, Arisoema 

 torhiosum var. keUeborifolium^ an opinion which is adopted here. 

 Sir J. D. Hooker himself appears to have had doubts about the 

 identity of the species for after stating that it grows in the forests 

 of the Himalayas from Bhootan to Simla, Nepal and the Kassia 

 mountains at elevations of 5,000 to 7,000ft. says — a "similar if not 

 identical species inhabits the mountains of the Konkan in the Pen- 

 insula of Iudia." 



Ariscema cwrvatum which is well described in Rox, Fl. I»d. vo\ 

 Til. p. 506, and figured in Wight's Icon. tab. 788 under the i 

 J9 



