BOTANY AND THE ZOOLOGY OF CHINA 139^ 



6-9 roots. Some of the roots reach the size of a coconut, 

 and sometimes are called by the Chinese "the human-head 

 taro. " The roots have a white skin and flesh and are of 

 1-3-4 pounds in weight. 



2. — The brown taro or the white taro or the bambo taro 

 ( & ¥, & ¥. tt 3 s ). See PL I, Fig. 1. A large variety 

 with elongate roots of 20-30 cm. in length and 10-12 cm. 

 in breadth, and 2-3-4 pounds in weight. The skin is covered 

 with brown hair-like fibre and the flesh is white. This variety 

 is harvested in the 11-12 months and is much eaten by the 

 Chinese at New Year time. 



3.— The red taro (tt 3 s ). See PL I, Fig. 4. A variety 

 with oval shaped roots 10-15 cm. in length and 6-9 cm. in 

 breadth. The skin is rose colour, and the flesh is white with 

 yellow strings. It is planted in the third month, harvested 

 in the 10-11 months and is eaten in the winter time. 



4. — The taro with fibre like the palm Chamaerops 

 excelsa Thunb. or Trachy carpus excelsus H. Wendl (f§ 6$ %) 

 See PL I, Fig. 6. A variety with small roots, 10-15 cm. 

 in length, and 6-8 cm. in breadth, covered with dark brown 

 hair-like fibre. The flesh is white with reddish strings. This 

 taro ripens in November-December and is counted the best 

 of all the taro known in this district. 



Zizania grass (Zizania aquatica L. or Hydzopyrum 

 latifolium) (§&£, #§:g, W*). 



Zizania is a grass with tall stolons, 5-8 feet in height, 

 cultivated in many places of China, in ponds and in specially 

 irrigated fields on account of its young stalks, which are 

 eaten as a vegetable. The young stalks are of 15-20 cm. in 

 length and of 1-2 cm. in breadth; they are of bright green 

 colour, with a delicate white flesh which is cooked before 

 being eaten. Before the transplantation the tufts of this 

 plant are separated into several parts with several culms, and 

 are planted in rows in the same way as the taro. Sometimes 

 Zizania grass is planted on the edge of the paddy fields. 



The Chinese arroiv-grass (Sagittaria chinensis), also 

 called 8. sagittifolia L. ( ft & m ft, SB £ ). See PL I, 

 Fig. 7 and PL II, Fig. 2. 



Sagittaria is a water plant of the Alismaceae family with 

 arrow T -shaped leaves, cultivated 'from ancient times for its 

 rootstocks which are used as food. At Foochow Sagittaria 

 is cultivated under the same conditions as the taro* and is 

 planted in spring from the roots and harvested in October. 

 Each plant gives 4-6 rootstocks different in size, 3-5 cm. in 

 length and 1.5-3 cm. in breadth, with a white skin and white 

 flesh, very rich in starch. The rootstocks are much valued 

 by the Chinese and are eaten cooked. 



