Of Arborefcent Plants. Part II. 
The ROOT of the Egyptian ARUM. Defcribed by 
(a) Pars 2. Fabius Columna, (a) with the Name of Arum JEgyptiacum: 
ri) karior. but called by Alpinus, (b) Colocafia Strogulorhi^a f. rotunda 
pi. lib. 2 . Radices not rightly, as Columna notes. Nor do either of 
t# 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 tra?ifverjly, two 
inches 5 encompaffed with three or four very fmall Circles, 
whereupon feveral Leaves did once grow : underneath, are 
the portions of feveral fmall dead Stalks 5 on the top 
and fldes, the Buds of others to come. To this, by a fhort 
Neck between, hangs the lower 5 which being alfo the 
elder, is more fuzzy and Ihrunk up. 
This Defcription cannot beunderftood, without know- 
ing that, which is very obfervable of this, and a great 
number of other Plants 5 and whereunto, no one Botanic k, 
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 
peri(hes,but out of the Stalk it felf. The Stalk defcending by 
fuch degrees, as that part thereof which, the lad year, was 
the lowermoft above ground 3 this year, being funk ( or 
rather by the appendent ftrings pulled ) under ground, 
becomes the upper Root 5 the next year, the under Root 3 
and the year after, rots off 3 another new Root being ftill 
yearly made out of the Stalk. By 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, p xvalide 
excitare venerem. The Roots of the common Arum boil'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 ounces. And is faid to be * 
dug up, fometimes, of fourteen Ounces. The Plant un- 
certainly defcribU Acofta compares it to that call'd La- 
CO Lib. de chryma Jobi 3 Lobeliws, (c) to a Reed 5 Garcias, to a Flag 3 
Bain i and 
