30 STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



Aletris farinosa Linn. Haemodoraceae. ague-root, colic-root, crow-corn, star 



GRASS. unicorn-root. 



North America. This plant, says Masters,' is one of the most intense bitters known, 

 but, according to Rafinesque,^ the Indians eat its bulbs. 



Aleurites triloba Forst. Euphorhiaceae. candlenut tree, country walnut, otaheite 

 walnut. 

 Tropical Asia and Pacific Islands. This is a large tree ctaltivated in tropical countries 

 for the sake of its nuts. It is native to the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago 

 and of the Samoan grbup. In the Hawaiian Islands, it occurs in extensive forests. The 

 kernels of the nut when dried and stuck on a reed are used by the Polynesians as a sub- 

 stitute for candles and as an article of food in New Georgia. When pressed they yield 

 a large proportion of pure, palatable oil, also used as a dr3ang oil for paint and known as 

 walnut-oil and artist 's-oil.' 



Alhagi camelorum Fisch. Legwminosae. camelsthorn. manna-plant. 



The Orient and central Asia. This indigenous shrub furnishes a manna by 

 exudation.^ 



A. maurorum Medic. Persian manna-plant. 



North Africa to Hindustan. Near Kandahar and Herat, manna is found and col- 

 lected on the bushes of this desert plant at flowering time after the spring rains.' This 

 manna is supposed by some to have been the marma of Scripture but others refer the manna 

 of Scripture to one of the lichens. 



Alisma plantago Linn. Alismaceae. mad-dog weed, water-plantain. 



North temperate zone and Australia. The solid part of the root contains farinaceous 

 matter and, when deprived of its acrid properties by drjdng, is eaten by the Calmucks.* 



Allium akaka Gmel. Liliaceae. 



Persia. This plant appears in the bazar in Teheren as a vegetable ' under the name 

 of wolag. It also grows in the Alps. The whole of the yovmg plant is considered a delicacy 

 and is used as an addition to rice in a pilau.* 



A. ampeloprasum Linn, great-headed garlic levant garlic wild leek. 

 / (y.^''^ Europe and the Orient. This is a hardy perennial, remarkable for the size of the 



, *, bulbs. The leaves and stems somewhat resemble those of the leek.' The peasants in 



certain parts of Southern Europe eat it raw and this is its only known use.'" 



' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 1:35. 1870. 



'Rafinesque, C. S. Fl. La. 18. 1817. 



'Black, A. A. Treas. Bot. 1:36. 1870. 



Don, G. Hisl. Dichl. Pis. 2:310. 1832. 



Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 145. 1876. 



Johns, C. A. Treas. Bol. 1:38. 1870. 



,' Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 356. 1859. {A. latifoUum) 



> Ibid. 



'Burr, F. Field, Card. Veg. 12^. 1863. 



" Bon Jard. 414. 1882. 



