The roots contain starch; and the ashes of the plant burnt when green yield carbonate of potash abundantly, with nitre, and inulin.
"Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure"
William Thomas Fernie
Put more generally, we may now say that the process of carbon-dioxide assimilation in green leaves under the influence of light is a process of synthesis-photo-synthesis-resulting in the building up of a carbohydrate such as sugar, inulin or starch from the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
"Disease in Plants"
H. Marshall Ward
It matters little whether the actual carbohydrate thus synthesised is starch, or sugar or inulin: the point is that energy has been gained from outside and bound up with the acquired material for further use.
"Disease in Plants"
H. Marshall Ward