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1 Sepr., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 247 
The Canna, 
By GEORGE WATKINS. 
Tu Canna in Botany belongs to the class of Monocotyledones or Endogens ; 
sub-class, Petaloidew. By many authorities it was considered as a genera of 
the Natural Order Scitamines ; the Ginger family. This is now generally 
divided, and formed into three orders, viz.:—The Scitaminex, Zingiberacex, or 
Gingers; the Marantacew, Cannacexw, or Arrowroots; and the Musacex, or 
Bananas. 
The Marantacew or Cannacee are herbaceous plants with tuberous rhizomes 
and simple sheathing leaves, having a strong midrib, with numerous parallel 
veins thence to the margin. There is strong resemblance in foliage, flower, &., 
to the Gingers, but an entire absence of aromatic qualities. ; 
The inflorescence takes the form of a terminal-spike or raceme, with either 
erect or pendulous flowers. The showy bright part of the flower consists not 
only of the calyx and corolla, but also of the altered stamens and style. 
_ "The perianth is superior, with the calyx three-lobed, short, and insignificant 
in appearance. The corolla is tubular elongated, three-parted, and likewise 
rather insignificant. The chief beauty lies in the stamens. These are typically, 
six in number, in two whorls. They are petaloid in character—that is, they take 
on the appearance of petals of the corolla, rather than that of stamens. 
They unite at the base, the claws forming a tube. The flower may therefore 
in some respects be considered as a naturally double one. One only of the 
inner whorl of stamens develops an anther, which has a petaloid filament. It 
has two lobes, but only one is fertile, dehiscing longitudinally. 
The style is also petaloid, and forms a thick flat ribbon-like structure, 
bearing a line of stigmatic tissue on the naked apex. 
The fruit is usually a three-celled capsule, but frequently only one cell 
contains seeds, which vary in number. These seeds are round, black, and very 
hard, especially in the outer skin. Hence the popular name of Indian Shot, 
as they are reported to have been frequently used for shot in the West Indies. 
They have been used as a substitute for coffee. 
The plants of the order are all natives of the tropics ; the greater number 
of America. A few species are found in Africa and the Hast Indies. 
The order Cannacem is divided into nine genera. There are generally 
supposed to be about 160 species. 
The name Canna is said to be derived from an old Carib name of the 
plant ; Maranta from Bartolommeo Maranta, a physician of Venosa, who died 
in 1559. It was bestowed in his honour by the botanist Plumier. 
The rhizomes, or tuberous stems of the plants of the order, contain much 
_ starch, which, properly prepared, forms the arrowroot of commerce. 
Maranta aurundinacee, and probably one or two other species, yield that 
which is known as West Indian or Bermuda arrowroot. The name arrowroot 
is usually supposed to be derived from the fact that the Indians used the 
bruised rhizomes as an antidotal application to the wounds from poisoned 
arrows, but some authorities contend that the word comes from “ aru-aru,” 
the name which the Aruac Indians of South America give to the farina 
obtained from the manioc. 
Tous-les-mois, another form of arrowroot, is produced in St. Kitts and 
other West India Islands from the underground stems of Canna edulis, and 
poeiey other species. The name Tous-les-mois is said to be derived from 
ouloula, which is a Carib designation for Canna. It is also said to be given 
in consequence of the plant flowering the whole year round. 
