274 WILD FOOD PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



Anacolosa luzoniensis is a tree reaching a height of 15 meters 

 or more, and a diameter of 50 centimeters. The leaves are alter- 

 nate, and somewhat pointed at both ends. The flowers are 

 small, yellow, and occur in small clusters. 



This species has been reported only from Cagayan, Benguet, 

 Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, and Mas- 

 bate. It is apparently rare and is never cultivated. 



Genus XI MEN I A 

 XIMENIA AMERICANA L. (Fig. 23). 



Local names: Bo-o (Samal Island); pangungan (Basilan Island). 



The fruits of this species taste like sour apples, and are eaten 

 either fresh or pickled. The nuts are purgative. According to 

 Heyne,* when cooked and powdered they are mixed with sago 

 to make bread. The fruits are yellow, egg-shaped, and about 2 

 centimeters in diameter. 



Ximenia americana is a spiny shrub about 3 meters in height. 

 The leaves are alternate, elliptical, and about 5 centimeters 

 in length. The flowers are less than a centimeter long, greenish 

 white, and fragrant. 



This species is distributed along the coast from Luzon to Min- 

 danao and Palawan. 



Family AMARANTHACEAE 



Genus AMARANTHUS 

 AMARANTHUS VIRIDIS L. (Fig. 24). KULfTIS. 



Local names: Bauan (Bontoc) ; kulitis (Tagalog) ; kadiapd (Agusan) ; 

 kalunai (Camguin Island, Iloko, Pangasinan) ; kilitis (Bikol). 



The leaves and young stems are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. 



Amaranthus viridis is an erect, smooth, branched, unarmed 

 annual, 30 to 60 centimeters in height. The leaves are broad at 

 the base and narrow at the apex, which is usually notched. 

 They are from 4 to 10 centimeters in length and have long pet- 

 ioles. The inflorescences occur in the axils of the leaves or at 

 the ends of branches. The flowers are very small, densely 

 crowded, green, and about 1 millimeter long. The seeds are 

 small, and brown or black. 



This species is common in open waste places throughout the 

 Philippines. 



* Heyne, K., De Nuttige Planten van Nederlandsch-Indie, Volume 2, 

 page 92. 



