Maranta indica, M. ramossisima, maranta starch or arrowroot, araruta, Bermuda arrowroot, indian arrowroot.
Indigenous to the West Indies and Central America. It is cultivated in Bengal, Java, the Philippines, Mauritius and West Africa.
The dried, powedered starch from the rhizome..
Nutritious and soothing to the elimentary canal, arrowroot is good for children and convelscents, particulary after bowel complaints. The jelly made with water or milk may be flavoured with sugar, lemon juice of fruit. Thefresh rhizomes used to be mashed and applied to wounds from poisened arrows, scorpion or spider bites and to stop gangrene. The freshly expressed juice of the rhizome, when mixed with water, is said to be a good antidote against vegetable poisons.
Fresh root, expressed juice, dietary item..