BROMELIACBM 507 



BKOMELIACEiE. 



ANANAS SATIVA, Linn. 



Fig, — Bot. Mag., t 1554; Rheede, Hort. MaL xu, t. 1. 

 Pine-apple {Eng.)^ Ananas {Fr.). 



4 



Hab. — America. Cultivated throughout the East. The 



fruit and leaves. 



Vernamlar .— An&rmis, [Hind.), Ananas, Anaras {Bcnj.), 

 Annas, Aun^s (Mar.), Anaras {Giiz.), Andsha-pazham (Tarn.), 

 Anasa-pandu {Tel.), Kaita-chakka, Parangi-chaklca {Mai), 

 Auanasu-hannu {Can.). 



History, Uses, &C.— The Pine-apple was unknown in 

 India prior to the discovery of America ; it was first made 

 known to Europe by Hernandez in 1513, and was introduced 

 into India by the Portuguese from Brazil in 1594. 

 Its introduction is mentioned by Abu Fazl in the Aycen-i- 

 ahhari, and also by the author of the Ddra Shakoh. The 

 vernacular names are mostly derived from the American names 

 Anasi and Nanas, but the Malabar name Parungi-chakka 

 signifies " European Jack fruit/' Rhcede states that in Mala- 

 bar the leaves boiled in rice-water and mixed with Pulvts 

 Sa leari afford a drink which is given to dropsical patients to 

 purge off water ; the unripe fruit is given with vinegar to 

 cause abortion and to relievo flatulent distension of the 

 abdomen. The author of the Mahhzan-cl-Adwiya describes two 

 kinds of pine-apple, viz., the ordinary kind, and a small kmd of 

 superior sweetness and flavour called Kaun la. He says that the 

 fruit is cold and moist, suitable to those of a bilious tcmpera- 

 n^ent, but not to the phlegmatic ; to lessen its coldness it should 

 to cut in thin slices and washed in salt and water and after- 

 wards in pure water ; it may then be sprinkled with sugar and 

 rose-water and eaten. A little ginger is also said to render the 

 fruit more wholesome. Pine-apple chutney, preserve, and 

 sherbet are also mentioned, but nothing is said about the 



