Arrowroot

Arrowroot, a valuable form of starch, obtained from the rhizomes or underground stems of various plants, mostly tropical species of the Marantaceae, or allied orders. That from the West Indies, Bermuda, and Natal is from Maranta arundinacea; that from the East Indies mainly from Curcuma angustifolia. that from Otaheite, from Tacca pinnatifida; the "Tous-les-mois" of St. Kitt's, from Canna indica: and Brazilian arrowroot from Manihot utilissima, the cassava. An inferior preparation known as British arrowroot is made from potatoes; and formerly the corms of the common Arum maculatum were collected in the Island of Portland for a similar purpose.