Befugium Botanlcum^ 
[September, 1870, 
TAB. 237. 
Natural Order Cannace.e. 
Tribe Marante^. 
Genus Maranta, Linn. 
M. ARUNDINACEA {Linn. Sp. Plant, p. 2). Herbacea, glabrescens, 
dichotomiter ramosa, vaginis elongatis foliis sequantibus, foliis ovato- 
lanceolatis acutis papyraceis viridibus, floribus ad apicem raraorum 
solitariis vel paucis laxe racemosis, braoteis pedicellis elongatis 
apice articulatis arete vaginaritibus, perianthii segmentis exterioribus 
supra ovarium liberis lanceolatis scariosis persisteiitibus, interioribus 
petaloideis in tubo elongato coalitis limbo lanceolato, staminodiis 
exterioribus protrusis albis rotundatis emarg^iaatis, interioribus 
genitalibus aequantibus. — Roscoe, Monand. t. 25. 
The common arrowroot-yielding species of Tropical America. 
Herbaceous, erect, glabrous or sometimes a little pubescent at 
the upper nodes and on the under side of the leaves, attaining a 
height of six to ten feet, copiously branched dichotomousl3\ 
Sheaths scariose, wrapped tightly round the slender stems, dis- 
tinctly closely ribbed, contracted suddenly to a node at the apex 
of which the leaf is seated. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute, 
entire, papyraceous in texture, the lower ones six to twelve 
inches long, the upper surface green, the lower rather glaucous. 
Flowers solitary or in lax racemes at the apex of the branches. 
Bracts just like the leaf-sheaths in texture, twelve to eighteen 
lines long, wrapped tightly round the slender erecto-patent pedi- 
cels, which are articulated at the apex. Ovary minute, turbinate. 
Outer divisions of the perianth free, lanceolate, ribbed, scariose, 
persistent, six to eight lines long ; inner divisions petaloid, 
fugacious, united in a cylindrical tube half an inch long, their 
limbs lanceolate, straight. Outer staminodia petaloid, protruded, 
round, emarginate ; inner staminodia considerably shorter, one 
WTapped round the incurved style, and the other bearing the 
solitary one-celled anther on its margin. 
Tab. 237. — 1, flower complete; 2, inner staminodia, with stamen and 
pistil ; 3, the same, with part of that folded round the pistil cut away ; 
4, like the last, the staminode unrolled. — J. G. B. 
An interesting plant, both as regards its resemblance to some 
of the broad-leaved grasses, and on account of its value in an 
