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Maranta arundinacea L.; chaank ‘ala, arrowroot

Perennial herb growing from a thickened rootstock; leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, ovate, margin entire, apex acuminate; flowers white.

Additional images:

• habit
• flowers
• flowers
• fruits

The starchy rootsocks are edible. Standley (1930) reports that the roots were once exported commercially from Cozumel and that consumption of raw roots have been considered useful in treating bladder and urethral problems.