134 STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



Capraria biflora Linn. Scrophularineae. goat-weed. Jamaica tea. smart weed. 



WEST INDIA tea. 



Tropical America. Lunan * says the leaves not only resemble those of tea but 

 make an equally agreeable decoction. Titford ' says an infusion of them is a very good 

 beverage. 



Capsella bursa-pastoris Medic. Cruciferae. mother's heart, shepherd's purse. 



Temperate regions. One of the commonest of weeds, this plant has accompanied 

 Europeans in all their navigations and estabhshed itself wherever they have settled to 

 till the soil. Johns ' says it was formerly used as a potherb. Johnson * says, as improved 

 by cultivation, " it is used in America as a green vegetable, being largely raised about 

 Philadelphia for sale in the markets." DarUngton,* the botanist, who lived near Phil- 

 adelphia, calls it " a worthless little intruder from Europe," and we are disposed to believe 

 that the statement of its culture is one of the errors which are copied from book to book- 

 In China, it is collected by the poor and largely eaten as food.' 



Capsicum. Solanaceae. 



Tropical America. Ancient Sanscrit or Chinese names for the genus are not known. 

 The first mention that is on record is by Peter Martyr ' in his epistle dated Sept. 1493, 

 when he says Columbus brought home with him " pepper more pungent than that from 

 Caucasus." In his Decades of the Ocean he says: " There are innumerable Kyndes of 

 Ages, the varietie whereof, is known by theyr leaves and flowers. One kind of these, 

 is called guanagtmx, this is white both within and without. Another named guaraguei 

 is of violet colour without and white within. Squi are whyte within and without. 

 Tunna is altogether of violet colours. Hobos is yelowe both of skynne and inner substance. 

 There is an other named atibunicix, the skynne of this is of violet coloiu-e and the sub- 

 stance white. Aniguamar hath his skynne also of violet coloure and is white within. 

 Guaccaracca hath a white skynne and the substance of violet coloiu". There are many 

 other, which are not yet brought to us." This variability indicates an antiquity of 

 cultivation. 



Veytia * says the Ohnecs raised chilis before the time of the Toltecs. Sahagun ^ 

 mentions capsium more frequently than any other herb among the edible dishes of 

 the Aztecs. Acosta '" says it is the principal sauce and the only spice of the Indians. 

 Bancroft " says it was eaten by the Nahuathan natives both green and dry, whole and 



' Lunan, J. Horl. Jam. 2:217. 1814. 



Titford, W. J. Hort. Bot. Amer. yg. 181 1. 



'Johns, C. A. Treoi. Bo;. 1:218. 1870. 



* Johnson, C. P. Useful Ph. Gt. Brit. 49. 1862. 

 ' DarUngton, W. Weeds, Useful Pis. 50. i860. 



Smith, F. P. Contrib. Mat. Med. China 196. 1871. 

 ' Irving, W. Columbus y. ^25. 1849. 



Bancroft, H. H. Native Races 2:2,^:!,. 1882. Note. 



Bancroft, H. H. Native Races 2:175. 1882. 

 > Bancroft, H. H. Native Races 2:355. 1882. 

 " Ibid. 



y 



