6 



AM0RPH0PHALLU9 CAMPANULATUS. 



AMOKPHOPHALLUS CAMPANULATU S, Blume. 



[Vide Plate LXIX.] 



Telinga potato ; zaminqand (qand = crystallized sugar) ; nagphanni-kand (Punj.) ; ol. 

 (Beng.) ; arsaghna (Sans.) 



Natural order Aroidecn. A perennial stemless herb with tuberous roots often 1^ feet in cir- 

 cumference. Leaves one or two, radical, upwards of 3 feet long, on round tapering stalks, the 

 blade large, twice bifid, the divisions outwardly pinnatifid, ultimate segments oblong, acute. 

 Flowers unisexual, and sessile around the middle portion of an erect fleshy spadix, the upper part 

 of which is dark purple, lobed and wrinkled like a dried truffle. Spathe large, leathery, campa- 

 nulate, about as long as the spadix, greenish purple towards the margin. 



This plant is cultivated in small quantities, and chiefly in the districts near the 

 hills. The tuberous root, which is the part eaten, is said to take three years to mature. 

 Further east, in Bengal, where the climate is moister, the tubers are ready for eating 

 after one year. Roxburgh says that a very rich loose soil suits it best, where the swell- 

 ing of the root meets with little obstruction, for which reason the ground requires to 

 be very well and repeatedly ploughed. The small tuberosities that are found on the 

 larger roots are employed for sets, and are planted in the manner potatos are in Eng- 

 land, and at about the same distance from one another. 



The root is boiled and seasoned with various spices, or it is made into a pickle with 

 tamarmet^leaves. It is not eaten by some classes of Hindus on religious grounds. 

 Baden Powell says that it requires to be boiled several times, and also occasionally 

 with lime water, before it is fit to be eaten. In preparing it as a pickle it is cut into 

 little pieces and fried in oil until it becomes of a red colour, and then it is put into 

 vinegar, &c, or in a mixture of mustard seeds ground up with salt, &c, in water or oil. 

 In the Saharanpur bazar the tubers are sold at 2 annas a seer. 



Dr. Dymock (in Veg. Mat. Med., p. 1815) describes a preparation of the root of 

 this plant, which is sold in shops under the name of ' madan mast.' Segments of the 

 tubers are threaded on string and fried in ghi with spices and sugar. It is supposed to 

 have restorative powers, and is in much request. Dr. Dymock remarks also that its 

 Sanscrit name arsaghna refers to its reputation as a remedy for piles. 



Mr. T. N. Mukharji has stated that the plant when dead and dry is greedily 

 eaten by cattle in Bengal, and that householders collect it for their cows. 



• References :— W*tt., Diet. Econom. Prod., I., 215 ; Wight, Ic, 785 ; Roylc, 111. Him. Bot., 407 ; Atkinson, Him. 

 Dist, L, 704 ; Kconom. Prod., N.-W. Prov., Part V., 23. Arum camjianulatum, Koxb., EL Ind. (Clarke's Ed.), 629; Stewart. 

 Punj. PI , 24G ; Baden Powell, Punj Prod., 259. 



