EMERGENCY FOOD PLANTS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 19 



coated with ashes if possible, and then soaked in streams or 

 in salt water for 3 or 4 days, after which they should he 

 dried in the sun. After prolonged treatment they may be 

 cooked and eaten, but great caution is necessary. Local 

 names: Ndmi, gadoong, huwi-gadgoong, kdpak, gddu, sikdpa, 

 bitule, sidpa, boti, lei, hajule, hajuru, kdlut, korot, kulut, 

 udle, kdwai, hoi-tia, nika. 



h. Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) . — This is an erect, 

 smooth, branched herb, 1 to 3 feet high, with small white 

 flowers. The thickened scaly roots may be cooked and eaten, 

 or they may be crushed, the abundant starch washed out. 

 and used as food. This is the commercial arrowroot, and is 

 found only in cultivation. Local names: Ardru, areroo, 

 aruru, droot, aiigkrik, drus, djildrut, everut, gderut, gdrut, 

 irut, Idrut, ngdrut, saldrut, paruta, sdgu, sdgu-hdnban, sdgu- 

 rdrut, pdtat-sdgu, tdwang, hula-moa, huda-sula, peda-peda, 

 pia, pi-waldnda, Idbia-waldnda, masoa-fdnau, tidre-arura. 



i. Yam bean (Pachyrhisus erosus). — ^This vine has blue 

 flowers. It is often common in thickets and hedgerows, and 

 is sometimes planted. The turnip-shaped root is very re- 

 freshing, the flesh is crisp and pleasant to the taste; it is 

 always eaten raw, never cooked, v The very young pods may 

 be cooked and eaten like string beans. Warning: The ma- 

 ture seeds in brown pods should never be eaten as these are 

 poisonous. Local names: Hikamas, sinkamas, bakuwang, 

 bangkowan, bangkuwa, bangkuwang, bingkowang, bengku- 

 wang, singkuwang, huivi-hiris, besusu, djempirdngan, ubi- 

 plisak, oeas, oea. 



j. Polynesian arrowroot (Tacca leontopetaloides) . — This 

 is a plant that grows 2 to 5 feet high having stems that are 

 distinctly grooved. The hard, usually round, and potatolike 

 tubers are rich in starch and may be boiled or roasted and 

 eaten, or better, crushed or grated and then boiled. Warn- 

 ing: The tubers should never be eaten raw as they are said to 

 be poisonous until after being crushed, washed, and cooked. 

 Usually the tubers are found in the loose soil some distance 

 from the base of the plant and from one to several to a plant. 

 It is sometimes cultivated, but as a wild plant is most often 

 found in loose sandy soil not far from the seashore. Local 

 names: Gdu-gdu, panarien, tayobong, ketjondang, katjunda, 



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