248 WILD FOOD PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



This plant grows submerged in salt water, and in some parts 

 of the Philippines is abundant in the shallow waters of sheltered 

 bays. It is distributed from Luzon to Mindanao. 



Genus OTTELIA 

 OTTELIA ALISMOIDES Pers. Kalaboa. 



Local names: Espdda (Spanish-Filipino); kalaboa or kalahua (Bulacan, 

 Rizal) ; lanteyi-sdpa (Bataan) ; hinting (Camarines) ; tarabang (Ilocos 

 Norte) . 



Filipino children eat the fruit of this plant, and in some parts 

 of the Archipelago the petioles and leaves are used as a vege- 

 table. 



Ottelia alismoides is an herb growing in fresh water. The 

 leaves are extremely variable and have short or long petioles 

 according to the depth of the water. The blades of the sub- 

 merged leaves are often narrow ; of the floating ones, ovate 

 or somewhat rounded, with a rounded or heart-shaped base. 

 ' They are 5 to 20 centimeters long and wide. The flowers are 

 white and about 2 centimeters in length, the fruit oblong and 

 from 2.5 to 4 centimeters long. 



This species is distributed throughout the Philippines in 

 shallow lakes and slowly running streams. 



Genus VALLISNERIA 

 VALLISNERIA GIGANTEA Graebn. Sabutan-BUAIA. 



Local names: Bal-liba (Pangasinan) ; sabutdn-budia (Rizal). 



The younger leaves of this species are cooked and eaten as 

 a vegetable. 



Vallisneria gigantea grows submerged in fresh water and is 

 characterized by long, ribbon-like leaves. The length of the 

 leaves varies from a few centimeters to 2 meters or more, accord- 

 ing to the depth of the water. They are thin and 1 centimeter 

 or less in width. 



This species is common and widely distributed throughout 

 the Philippines in shallow lakes and slowly running streams. 



Family GRAMINEAE 



The young shoots of many of the bamboos are cooked and eaten 

 as a vegetable. The bamboos are discussed in a separate sec- 

 tion. 



Genus COIX 

 COIX LACHRYMA-JOBI L. var. MA-YUEN (Roman.) Staff. Ilas. 



This variety of Coix lachryma-jobi is characterized by the 

 covering around the seed being thin and rather soft in texture. 

 It is cultivated to a very limited extent in the Philippines where, 



