sturtevant's notes on edible plants 65 



Arisaema atrorubens Blume. Aroideae. dragon root, jack-in-the-pulpit. Indian 



TURNIP. 



North America. Cutler ' says, the shredded roots and berries are said to have been 

 boiled by the Indians with their venison. Bigelow ^ says, the starfch of the root is deHcate 

 and nutritious. It must, however, be obtained from the root by boiHng in order that 

 the heat may destroy the acrimonious principle. 



A. costatum Mart. 



Himalayas. This is said by Ellis ' to be a large aroid, called ape in Tahiti, which 

 is frequently planted in dry ground. It is considered inferior to taro. 



A. curvatum Kunth. 



Himalayas. The Lepchas of India prepare a food called long from the tuberous root. 

 The roots are bvuied in masses imtil acetous fermentation sets in and are then dug, washed 

 and cooked, by which means their poisonous properties are in part dispersed, but not 

 entirely, as violent illness sometimes follows a hearty meal of tong.* 



A. tortuosum Schott. 



Himalayas. The root is considered esculent by the mountaineers of Nepal.^ 



Arisarum vulgare Targ. Aroideae. 



Mediterranean regions. In north Africa, the roots are much used in seasons of scar- 

 city. The root, which is not as large as ovir ordinary walnut, contains an acid jmce, which 

 makes it quite uneatable in the natural state. This is, however, removed by repeated 

 washings and the residue is innoxious and nutritive." 



Aristotelia macqui L'Herit. Tiliaceae. mountain currant. 



A large shrub called in Chile, maqui. The berries, though small, have the pleasant 

 taste of bilberries and are largely consimied in Chile.' 



A. racemosa Hook. 



New Zealand. The natives eat the berries.* 



Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancr. Umbelliferae. arracacha. Peruvian carrot. 



Northern South America. This plant has been cultivated and used as a food from 

 early times in the cooler mountainous districts of northern South America, where the 

 roots form a staple diet of the inhabitants. The root is not unlike a parsnip in shape but 

 more 'blunt; it is tender when boiled and nutritious, with a flavor between the parsnip 

 and a roasted chestnut. A fecula, analogous to arrowroot, is obtained from it by rasp- 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 808. 1879. (Arum triphyllum) 

 'Bigelow, J. Med. Bol. 1:58. 1817. 

 'Ellis, W. Polyn. Research. 1:4s. 1833. 

 Moore, T. Treai. Bo/. 2:1347. 1876. 

 'Wallich P/j. >lo/. 2:10, Tab. 114. 1830-32. 



Hooker and Ball Marocco, Gt. Alias 342. 1878. 

 'Mueller,?. Sel. Pis. 49. 1891. 



Black, A. A. Treas. Bot. 1:92. 1870. 



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