Techmaw (Flora)

Techmaw is an aquatic plant with large, flat leaves that float on the water's surface and that fixes nitrogen in long roots that grow horizontally, just under the soil surface. These roots contain large numbers of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, with a vivid purple color due to the presence of uroporphyrin, used to bind oxygen that would otherwise interfere with nitrogen fixation. Techmaw root can be sliced and cooked but is more commonly dried and ground into flour. This is then fermented in water for several days, drained, shaped into a stiff dough with water, and boiled or steamed. The cooked dough is typically shaped into a small ball or cup by hand and used to scoop other food to eat. Owing to the high porphyrin content, techmaw has a proportionately higher concentration of protein and iron than most other crops. The roots also bleed a reddish-purple liquid when cut, which is sometimes used as a dye.