Indian Shot

Indian Shot (Canna indica), a plant common in almost all tropical countries; a herbaceous perennial, with a creeping root-stock (rhizome), and a simple stem, formed by the cohering bases of the large, tough, ovate-oblong leaves. It belongs to the natural order Marantaceæ. It derives the name Indian Shot from the seed, which is hard, round, and about the size of a very small pea. The seed yields a beautiful red colour. The root-stocks are very large, spongy, and jointed, and are used in Brazil for enollient poultices in tumours and abscesses. The root-stocks of some of the other species of Canna are more valuable, yielding the starch called Tous-les-mois.