46 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



strength to spirits and beer, but they are not particularly injurious.' The seeds resemble 

 and equal camphor in warmth and pungency.* 



A. mnximum Roxb. Java cardamom 



Java and other Malay islands. This species is said to be cultivated in the mountains 

 of Nepal. 



A. melegueta Rose, melegueta pepper. 



African tropics. The seeds are exported from Guiana where the plant, supposed to 

 have been brought from Africa, is cultivated by the negroes. The hot and peppery seeds 

 form a valued spice in many parts of India and Africa. 



A. villosum Lour. \ 



East Indies and China. This plant is supposed to yield the hairy, round, China 

 cardamoms.* 



A. xanthioides Wall, bastard cardamom. 



Burma. In China, says Smith,^ the seeds are used as a preserve or condiment and 

 are used in flavoring spirit. 



Amorphophallus campanulatus Blimie. Aroideae. amorphophallus. telinga potato. 

 Tropical Asia. This plant is much cultivated, especially in the northern Circars, 

 where it is highly esteemed for the wholesomeness and nourishing quality of its roots. 

 The telinga potato is cooked in the manner of the yam and is also used for pickling.^ When 

 in flower, the odor exhaled is most overpowering, resembling that of carrion, and flies cover 

 the club of the spadix with their eggs. The root is very acrid in a raw state; it is eaten 

 either roasted or boiled. At the Society Islands the fruit is eaten as bread, when bread- 

 fruit is scarce and in the Fiji Islands is highly esteemed for its nutritive properties.' 



A. lyratus Kunth. 



East Indies. The roots are eaten by the natives and are thought to be very nutritious. 

 They require, however, to be carefully boiled several times and to be dressed in a particular 

 manner in order to divest them of a somewhat disagreeable taste.' 



Amphicarpaea edgeworthii Benth. Leguminosae. wild bean. 



Himalayas. A wild, bean-like plant, the pods of which are gathered while green and 

 used for food.* 



A. monoica Ell. hog peanut. 



North America. A delicate vine growing in rich woodlands which bears two kinds 

 of flowers, the lower ones subterranean and producing fruit. It is a native of eastern 



' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 1:52. 1870. 



2 Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 842. 1879. (A. grandiflorum) 



' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 1:52. 1870. 



* Smith, F. P. Contrih. Mat. Med. China 16. 1871. 



' Drury, H. Useful Pis. Ind. 32. 1858. 



' Seemann, B. Fl. Viti. 284. 1865-73. 



' Drury, H. Useful Pis. Ind. 56. 1858. {,Arum lyratum Roxb.) 



Georgeson Amer. Card. 14:85. 1893. 



