Maranta

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Maranta \Ma*ran"ta\, prop. n. [NL.] (Bot.)
     A genus of endogenous plants found in tropical America, and
     some species also in India. They have tuberous roots
     containing a large amount of starch, and from one species
     ({Maranta arundinacea}, the American arrowroot or obedience
     plant) {arrowroot} ({arrowroot starch}) is obtained. Many


     kinds are cultivated for ornament.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  maranta
       n : any of numerous herbs of the genus Maranta having tuberous
           starchy roots and large sheathing leaves