EMERGENCY FOOD PLANTS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 20 



dag, djingi, ojong, pet ola-heng gala, petola-pdndjang, petola- 

 tjina, kimput, ernes, kdtjur, hurung-djdwa, timput, lopang, 

 dodahdla, ojong. 



h. Balsam vine (Momordica charantia) . — This is a slender 

 vine with small yellow flowers. The rough fruits, variable in 

 shape, are usually yellow, the pulp reddish. The young 

 leaves and shoots may be eaten as greens (better mixed with 

 other plant material, as they are rather bitter), while the 

 fruits may be cooked and eaten. Tliis plant is found both 

 in cultivation and wild; the fruits of the wild form are al- 

 ways smaller than are those of the cultivated ones, which 

 may be 6 inches long or even more. Local names: Papdri, 

 pepdre, pdre, pdria, pdlia, pdnia, pulia, peria, paparidno, 

 taparipong, karaidno, paridne, paliak, pentu, pepdreh, 

 pdja, truwuk, kdnibeh, popdri, foria, apaldya, ampaldya, 

 apdlia, amargoso, almagoso, vidrgoso, pupuruvi. 



c. Commelinaceae. — Figure 32 shows two common and 

 widely distributed representatives of Cyanotis (A) (D) and 

 two of Commelina (B) (C). These are somewhat fleshy, 

 trailing or ascending herbs, with blue flowers. They occur 

 in open places, waste and cultivated lands and meadows, 

 and all are common. The plants may be eaten raw, steamed, 

 or boiled. Local names: Bramhdngan, gewor, petungan, 

 tdli-korang, tdli-sdit, rehha-mosor, alibdngon, sabilau, ulik- 

 bdngon, nemeneakori, vdte, mau-u-toga, aihere-pdpe, rebha- 

 kongong, 



d. Forrestia marginata. — This erect plant grows to about 2 

 feet in height. The stems are smooth or hairy with dense 

 heads of small violet or purple flowers in the leaf axils. The 

 tender shoots may be cooked and eaten, these parts of the 

 plant being even sold in native markets in Malaya. Local 

 names: Arigbdngon, tdhig-tdhig, limpungan, gewor, kerok- 

 bdtok. 



e. Three species of Amaranthus. — ^Vstrious species of Ama- 

 ranthus occur (often in great abundance) throughout 

 the Malaysian and Polynesian regions, particularly in open 

 places (especially (B) flg. 34) , waste lands about settlements 

 (especially (C) ) , and more or less cultivated (A) . Some 

 ((A) and (B) ) are often 3 feet high; others (C) are usually 



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