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Canna edulis

Canna edulis

9.5
A plant grown for its starchy root to make arrowroot flour
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : achira
  • The rootstock of Canna edulis is processed to make arrowroot flour.

Examples

  • In South America, Canna edulis is commonly cultivated for its starchy rhizomes.

  • I learned that Canna edulis is used to make arrowroot starch.

  • Farmers in some regions grow Canna edulis as an alternative source of carbohydrates.

  • Have you tried the starch from Canna edulis?

  • In South America, Canna edulis is cultivated primarily for its starchy rhizomes, which are a valuable food source.

  • The rootstock of Canna edulis is widely used to produce arrowroot starch, known for its thickening properties.

  • Farmers in tropical climates often grow Canna edulis for its edible rootstock, which is rich in carbohydrates.

Synonyms

achira
vsCanna edulis
  • US
9.9

A South American plant grown for its starchy edible root used to make arrowroot starch

is the formal scientific name for the same plant
Canna indica
vsCanna edulis
  • Specialized
9.8

A plant that people grow for its edible roots used to make arrowroot starch

is a distinct species name not the closely related cultivated one
Indian shot
vsCanna edulis
9.8

A tropical plant grown for its edible root that people use to make starch for cooking

is the specific species name rather than a broad common label

Surface Forms

Canna edulis singular

Morphology

Canna + edulis

Although the binomial is compositionally interpretable for someone who knows Latin (edulis = 'edible'), 'edulis' is a Latin botanical epithet not found in the provided dictionary entry and is unlikely to be known by an average B1 English learner. Because the crucial constituent is a non‑English/technical form that learners typically will not recognise, the overall expression will not be derivable from its parts for B1 learners.

Etymology

Canna edulis gets its name from words that mean 'edible cane': canna was a word for a tall reed or cane, and edulis means 'edible' in Latin. People called it this because its thick roots are dug up and made into 'arrowroot' starch, so the name points to the plant as food.