STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 1 23 



B. octoradiatum Biinge. 



Northern China. In China, the tender shoots of this apparently foreign plant are 

 edible. 1 



B. rotxindifolium Linn, thorough wax. 



Europe, Caucasus region and Persia. " Hippocrates hath commended it in meats 

 for salads and potherbs." * 



Burasaia madagascariensis DC. Menispermaceac. 

 Madagascar. This plant has edible fruit.' 



Bursera gummifera Linn. Burseraceae. American gum tree, indian birch. 



American tropics. An infusion of the leaves is occasionally used as a domestic sub- 

 stitute for tea.* 



B. icicariba Baill. 



Brazil. The tree is said to have edible, aromatic fruit. It yields the elemi of 

 Brazil.^ 



B. javanica Baill. 



Java. This plant is the tingulong of the Javanese, who eat the leaves and fruit.' 



Butomus umbellatus Linn. AUsmaceae. flowering rush, grassy rush, water 



GLADIOLUS. 



Europe and adjoining Asia. Unger '' says, in Norway, the rhizomes serve as material 

 for a bread. Johns ' says, in the north of Asia, the root is roasted and eaten. Lindley ' 

 says the rhizomes are acrid and bitter, as well as the seeds but are eaten among the savages. 

 In France, it is grown in flower gardens as an aquatic.'" 



Butyrospermum parkii Kotschy. Sapotaceae. butter tree, shea tree. 



Tropical west Africa. Shea, or galam, butter is obtained from the kernel of the fruit 

 and serves the natives as a substitute for butter. This butter is highly commended by 

 Park." The tree is called meepampa in equatorial Africa.'^ 



Buxus sempervirens Linn. Euphorbiaceae. box. 



Europe, Orient and temperate Asia. In France and some other parts of the 



1 Smith, F. P. Contrib. Mat. Med. China 45. 1871. 

 Gerarde, J. Herb. 608. 1633 or 1636. and Ed. 

 Baillon, H. Hist. Pis. 3:70. 1874. 



Sargent U. S. Census 9:32. 1884. 

 "BaiUon, H. Hist. Pis. 5:297. 1878. 



Ibid. 



' Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 308. 1859. 

 'Johns, C. A. Treas. Bot. iii&i. 1870. 



Lindley, J. Veg. King. 208. 1846. 



" Vilmorin Fl. PL Ter. 185. 1870. 3rd Ed. 



" Don, G. Hist. Dich. Pis. 4:36. 1838. 



" Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 426. 1879. (Bassia parkii) 



