Description: A perennial herb with underground rhizomes and broad leaves. The rhizomes are processed to produce arrowroot starch.

Identification: Herbaceous plant; broad oval leaves; underground rhizomes; small flowers.

Habitat & distribution: Tropical America in origin and cultivated in tropical regions.

Uses / importance: Rhizomes provide easily digestible starch used in food preparation.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom – Plantae
Clade – Angiosperms
Clade – Monocots
Order – Zingiberales
Family – Marantaceae
Genus – Maranta
Species – M. arundinacea

Sources: Kew POWO; agricultural literature.