Description
West-Indian Arrowroot is a perennial plant growing to about 2 feet tall. It has small white flowers and fruits approximately the size and shape of currants. The rootstocks are dug when the plant is one year old, and often exceed 1 foot in length and 1.9 cm in diameter. They are yellowish white, jointed and covered with loose scales. The numerous, ovate, smooth leaves are 5-25 cm long, with long sheaths often enveloping the stem. West-Indian Arrowroot is native to South America, but widely cultivated in the tropical world.
Arrowroot also known as West Indian arrowroot, also known as , maranta,
, obedience plant, Bermuda arrowroot, araru, araruta, ararao or hulankeeriya, is a large, perennial herb found in rainforest habitats. Arrowroot flour is now produced commercially mostly in st. Vincent and the Grenadines. Arrowroot was one of the earliest plants to be domesticated for food in northern South America, with evidence of exploitation or cultivation of the plant dating back to 8200 BC.
Characteristics:
Arrowroot is a perennial plant growing to a height of between 0.3 m (1 ft) and 1.5 m (5 ft). Its leaves are lanceolate. The edible part of the plant is the rhizome. Twin clusters of small white flowers bloom about 90 days after planting. The plant rarely produces seed and reproduction is typically by planting part of a rhizome with a bud. Rhizomes are ready for harvesting 10–12 months after planting as leaves of the plant begin to wilt and die. The rhizomes are fleshy, cylindrical, and grow from 20 cm (8 in) to 45 cm (18 in) long.
Medicinal Uses:
West-Indian Arrowroot is chiefly valuable as an easily digested, nourishing diet for convalescents, especially in bowel complaints, as it has demulcent properties.
Arrowroot has many medicinal uses as well. As it is nutritive starch that can be easily digested, it is given to baby and people recovering from an illness or medical treatment. Due to urinary antiseptic properties, arrowroot tea helps in urinary problems. When taken daily it helps to lower cholesterol.
