SALE? AMIOWIIOOT. 417 



principle in the yam probably disappears under boiling. 

 Tamus communis, black bryony, is an indigenous plant. Its 

 young shoots are occasionally used in the manner of aspara- 

 gus, but Professor Balfour says they are not safe. Testudin- 

 aria elephantipes is the elephant's-foot or tortoise plant of the 

 Cape. The Hottentots eat the interior cellular part of its 

 enormous tuberculated stem. 



Smilacece, Sarsaparilla order. Smilax China, a native of 

 China, but grown in the West Indies, has large roots, which 

 are employed in China both as food and medicine. In the 

 West Indies it is used to feed hogs. 



Sub-class Petaloidece or Floridce. Hydrocharidacece, Frog- 

 bit order. Some of the species of Boottia, Enhalus, and Ottilia, 

 are esculent. Anacharis alsinastrum threatens to fill up the 

 streams of this country by its rapid growth. 



Orchidacece, Orchis order. Eulopliia vera and E. cam- 

 pestris are Indian orchids, the tubers of which furnish salep. 

 Orchis mascula, 0. morio, and 0. papilionacea, also afford 

 salep. The two first are indigenous, the last is of the south of 

 Europe. Vanilla planifolia and V. aromatica yield vanilla, 

 used in confectionery and in the preparation of chocolate. 

 Gastrodia sesamoides has an edible root used by the native 

 tribes in Tasmania. 



Zingiberacece or Scitaminece, Ginger order. Aromatic 

 condiments. Curcuma longa affords turmeric, which enters 

 into the composition of curry powder. C. angustifolia yields 

 a kind of arrowroot in the East Indies. Other species of 

 Curcuma afford starch. Zingiber officinale is the common 

 ginger. The young rhizome is used as a preserve. 



Marantacecc, Arrowroot order. Starch prevails through- 

 out the roots of this order. The conns or rhizomes of Canna 

 coccinea, C. edulis, and C. Achiras all yield starch, some of 

 which is known as " tons les mois" Maranta arundinacea 



2D 



