sturtevant's notes on edible plants 79 



observed in Germany in 1771;' by Retz = in Sweden in 1779; and the same year by Wither- 

 ing ' in Britain. Lindley ^ says it is found wild in abundance in grain fields all over Europe. 

 The smaUness of the grain renders this oat unfit for cultivation except on poor, mountainous 

 places, where nothing better may be had. The Germans, however, have much improved it 



Averrhoa bilimbi Linn. Geraniaceae. bilimbi. blimbing. cucumber tree. 



East Indies and China. The fruit is of the form and size of a gherkin, with a smooth, 

 thin, pale green, translucent rind like that of a ripe grape. When ripe, the flesh is as 

 soft as butter and has somewhat the flavor of an unripe gooseberry, too acid to be eaten 

 except when cooked.^ Brandis ' speaks of it as pickled or preserved in sugar, and Smith ^ 

 writes that the flowers are made into conserves. 



A. carambola Linn, blimbing. caramba. carambola. country gooseberry. 



East Indies and China. This plant has been cultivated for its fruit for ages in trop- 

 ical and subtropical India. The form of the fruit is oblong, with five prominent angles; 

 its skin is thin, green at first and yellowish afterwards; the flesh is soft and exceedingly 

 juicy like a plum, with a gratefvil, acid flavor. In Hindustan and Ceylon, the fruit is 

 sometimes as big as the two fists. In Stmiatra, there are two sorts which are used chiefly 

 in cookery.* In Bengal, there are two varieties, one with acid, the other with sweet fruit,' 

 as also in Burma.'" The fruit is used as a pickle by Europeans and the flowers are said 

 to be made into a conserve. 



Avicennia officinalis Linn. Verbenaceae. new Zealand mangrove. 



Region of the Caspian. This plant transudes a grnn. which the natives of New Zea- 

 land esteem as a food." The kernels are bitter but edible.'^ 



Aydendron firmulum Nees. Laurineae. pichurim bean, toda specie. 



Brazil. The Portugese of the Rio Negro, a branch of the Amazon, gather the aro- 

 matic seeds, known in trade by the names of the pichurim bean and toda specie. The 

 seed is grated like nutmeg. 



Babiana plicata Ker-Gawl. Irideae. baboon-root. 



South Africa The root is sometimes boiled and eaten by the colonists at the Cape." 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 103 1. 1879. 

 ' Ibid. 

 Ibid. 



* Morton Cyc. Agr. 172. 1869. 



' Firminger, T. A. C. Card. Ind. 236. 1874. 



Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 46. 1874. 



' Smith, J. Diet. Econ. Pis. 54. 1882. 



' Lindley, J. Trans. Hort. Soc. Land. 5:115. 1824. 



Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 46. 1874. 



" Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. (x)0. 1879. 



" Nuttall, T. No. Amer. Sylva 2:144. 1865. (^4. resinifera) 



Drury, H. Useful Pis. Ind. 57. 1858. (^. iomenlosa) 



" Thunberg, C. P. Trav. 1:285. 1795- {Gladiolus plici.tu's'\ 



