Indian Arrow-root: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the monandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the eighth order, Scitamineae. The corolla is ringent. Maranta ringent and quinquesid, with two segments alternately patent. There are three species, the arundinacea, galanga, and comosa, all of them herbaceous perennial exotics of the Indies, kept here in hot-houses for curiosity: they have thick, knotty, creeping roots, crowned with long, broad, arundinaceous leaves, ending in points, and upright stalks, half a yard high, terminated by bunches of monopetalous, ringent, five-parted flowers. They are propagated by parting the roots in spring, and planting them in pots of light rich earth, and then plunging them in the bark-bed. The root of the galanga is used by the Indians to extract the virus communicated by their poisoned arrows; from whence it has derived its name of arrow root. The arundinacea, or starch plant, rises to two feet, has broad pointed leaves, small white flowers, and one seed. It is cultivated in gardens and in provision-grounds in the West Indies; and the starch is obtained from it by the following process described by Dr Wright. "The roots when a year old are dug up, well washed in water, and then beaten in large deep wooden mortars to a pulp. This is thrown into a large tub of clean water. The whole is then well stirred, and the fibrous part wrung out by the hands, and thrown away. The milky liquor being passed through a hair sieve, or coarse cloth, is suffered to settle, and the clear water is drained off. At the bottom of the vessel is a white mass, which is again mixed with clean water and drained: lastly, the mass is dried on sheets in the sun, and is pure starch."—A decoction of the fresh roots (the Doctor informs us) makes an excellent panacea in acute diseases.