Description of some morphological attributes of Polynesian arrowroot from Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Polynesian arrowroot is popularly known as ˝Amora˝ or ˝Gbache˝ by some ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria amongst whom its starch is used in preparing several local delicacies. The plant is found growing wild in the tropical rainforest and guinea savannah agro-ecologies of Nigeria and is yet to be domesticated. In recent years, its population has dwindled possibly due to human encroachment on its natural habitat, increasing use of herbicides and climate change. There is also an increasing recognition of the industrial quality of its starch thus bringing to the fore the need to domesticate the plant. As part of the effort to domesticate Polynesian Arrowroot, there is the need to describe in detail the morphological attributes of the plant which will aid its domestication. This forms the objectives of this paper. Based on visual observations of plants grown from tubers collected from the wild in Zaki-Biam Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Benue State, Polynesian arrowroot is acaulescent; 2-7 leaves extend from the apex of the underground tuber. Peduncles subtend at their apex an umbellate inflorescence bearing many flowers (10-50). Fruits are many (1-20), ovoid, ribbed, with persistent tepals at the apex. Each fruit is a berry and contains numerous striated brownish seeds that are dormant at harvest. Tubers, mostly one per plant, are spherical and somewhat flattened at the apex and are subtended by stolons which grow down vertically from the base of the apex of the mother tuber. Tubers weighed mostly between 200-600 g each, but a few weighed up to 900 g. The main roots are adventitious ranging from 20-50 and grow to lengths ranging from 10-25 cm. There are roots on the surface of developing tubers. The implications of these observation on domestications of the plant were discussed.