228 Of Arbor efcent Plants. Part II. 
The ROOT of the Egyptian ARUM. Defcribed by 
(a) Pars 2 . Fabius Columna, (a) with the Name of Arum JEgyptiacum: 
C^karior; but C3 ^ C( ^ by Alpinm, (b) Colocafia Strogulorhi^a if. rotunda 
pi. lib. 2. Radices not rightly, as Columna notes. Nor do either of 
c# l8, their Deferiptions well reach it. 
This here ( as it is often ) is a double Root 3 each of 
them round , and fomewhat flat. The uppermoft like 
the dry'd Root of Arum, white and friable 3 but the Taft 
is extinct. Full and frim, in breadth or tranfverjly, two 
inches 3 encompaffed with three or four very fmall Circles, 
whereupon feveral Leaves did once grow ; underneath, are 
the portions of feveral fmall dead Stalks 3 on the top 
and fides, the Buds of others to come. To this, by a (hort 
Neck between, hangs the lower 3 which being alfo the 
elder, is more fuzzy and Ihrunk up. 
This Defcription cannot be underftood, without know- 
ing that, which is very obfervable of this, and a great 
number of other Plants 3 and whereunto, no one Botanick. 
hath adverted : vi^. That the Root is annually repaired, 
or renewed out of the Stalk it felf. Particularly, of this 
Plant, that one of its two Roots doth every year perifh, the 
other is new made 3 not out of the other Root before it 
perifhesjbut out of the Stalk it felf. The Stalk defcending by 
iuch degrees, as that part thereof which, the laft year, was 
the lowermoft above ground 3 this year, being funk ( or 
rather by the appendent firings pulled ) under ground, 
becomes the upper Root 3 the next year, the under Root 3 
and the year after, rots off 3 another new Root being mil 
yearly made out of the Stalk, fiy which way, and not as 
Trees by the fame numerical Root, this and other like 
Plants are perennial. 
This Root, the Egyptians eat very greedily, both raw, 
boil'd, and all manner of ways 3 fuppofing them, pravalide 
excitare uenerem. The Roots of the common Arumboil'd, 
were heretofore eaten among the Greeks : and may taft as 
well as boil'd Onions. 
A pair of large GINGER ROOTS 3 one of which,when 
green, might weigh four or five qunces. And is faid to be 
dug up, fpmetimes, of fourteen Ounces. The Plant un- 
certainly defcrib'd. Acofta compares it to that call'd La- 
^> ub.de cbryma J obi 3 Lobelius, (c) to a Reed 3 Garcias, to a Flag 3 
• and 
