DOLICHOS BULBOSUS (yAM BEAn) III 



In the book by Guillemin, Perrottet, and Richard, " Flora? 

 Senegambic-e tentamen " (vol. i), we read the following: — 



" Its importance as a food plant induced us to convey 

 it from Java to Bourbon, Cayenne, and to the Natural 

 History Museum in Paris." This document dates from 

 1820, and Perrottet, in vol. x of the " Bibliotheque physico- 

 economicjue " (1821), gives a description. 



The plant then has flourished in Reunion for nearly a 

 century, and judging from the proximity of the two coun- 

 tries it may be inferred that these peas were introduced into 

 Mauritius from that island. 



The manioc pea is perennial as regards its bulbs, and 

 annual as regards its stems. It thrives in all kinds of soils 

 without any attention. Its leaves are trifoliate and very 

 broad, one of its most clearly marked external characters. 

 This pea spreads a great deal, it covers the ground rapidly, 

 and if planted in proximity to other Leguminos^e grows at 

 their expense, concealing them almost completely. 



The flowers are bluish violet and in terminal clusters. 

 The pods are characterized by the regular swellings caused 

 by the seeds, which are rather flat. 



Particular interest is lent to this plant by the tubercles 

 produced on the root. j\I. Boname has calculated that the 

 yield in tubercles may be as much as 95 tons to the hectare. 

 Each mother stem gives rise to a bulb which increases in 

 size as it grows older, and eventually reaches considerable 

 dimensions. 



A plant raised under good conditions at the Agronomic 

 Station produced, after two years' growth, a tubercle of 

 18 kilos. 



Contrary to the case of the seeds, which it is thought can 

 only be utilized after a certain amount of trouble, the tubercles 

 are in great request for food purposes in certain countries. 

 In a note of particular interest, published by M. Chalot in 

 " I'Agriculture Pratique des Pays Chauds," we read that its 

 feculent and fleshy roots are valued very highly in some 



