81 



Tuber indicum, Cooke & Mass., is eaten by the Natives in 

 the Himalayas. Morchella esculenta, Linn., is found amongst 

 grass in Europe and Asia, commonly eaten and well-known in 

 the markets as 4fc Morel." Cyttaria Darwinii, Berk., a fungus 

 parasitic on " Evergreen Beeches" (Nothofagus betuloides, 

 Bhime), in Tierra del Fuego, where it affords +'or several months 

 the staple food of the inhabitants. Cytarria Gunriii,~Berk. % of 

 Tasmania, and G* Berteroi, Berk., of Chile are also eaten in their 

 respective countries. Darwin says (Voy. "Beagle," p. 85) of 

 the Cytarria in Tierra del Fuego that \ the fungus in its tough 



and mature state is collected in large quantities by the womeB 



and children and is eaten uncooked/ 9 and that "with the excep- 

 tion of a few berries, chiefly of a dwarf Arbutus, the natives eat 

 no vegetable food beside this fungus." The " Fairy King 

 Champignon M (Marasmius orea/fes, Fr.), so named because of 

 its habit of growing in rings on lawns and in old pastures, is a 

 familiar esculent. 



There are many more Fungi and Algae that could be mentioned 

 as edible, and so also many more plants among the Phanerogams 

 ibove recorded, but the mere enumeration of them would extend 

 the list out of .all proportion to their value; the more important 

 it is believed re all included, and of these there is perhaps 

 scarcely a subject on which an extensive article, pamphlet, or 

 even a book, might not be written. A few that are singular in 



Orders not prominent for their food value may be referred to 



as : 



Rhamneae, "Indian Jujube" or ''Chinese Date" (Zizy- 



phus Jujube, Lam.), fruit preserved in syrup, an important food 

 in China and other eastern countries; fruits are also often dried, 

 and they have occasionally come into the London mairket. 



Caryophyllaceae. — "Spurrey" (Spergula arvensis, Linn.), a 



common weed of Europe, grown in Belgium as a forage crop for 

 sheep (see Journ. Bd. Agric, " Spurrev as a Forage Crop on 

 Sandy Soils," March, 1912, pp. 1020-1024, and June, 1912, pp. 

 214-215). 



Bixineae. — " Madagascar Plum " (Flacourtia Ramontschi, 



L'Herit.), of Tropical Africa and India; fruits eaten raw or 

 cooked, leaves used as cattle fodder in India. " Kei Apple " 

 (Aberia Caffra, Harv. & Sond.), of South Africa; fruits pickled 

 or otherwise preserved. 



Portulaceae. — " Purslane *' or " Pig-weed " (Portulaca 



oleracea, Linn.), a common weed in India, Africa, Australia 



and America; may be used as a pot-herb or vegetable, and the 



seeds are largely used for food by the natives of Australia 



Maiden). 



Proteaceae. — "Queensland TS T ut " (jfacadamia ternifolia, F. 

 Muell.), of Eastern Australia; "Wild Almond" (Brabejum 

 stellafwm, Thb.), of South Africa; and " Avellano " or 

 u Guevuin " (Gevvina Avellana, Mol.), of Chile: all have edible 

 seeds. 



Y 





