sturtevant's notes on edible plants 187 



Royle ' says it is much cultivated about the huts of the natives. It is also cultivated 

 in Brazil ^ and is found in East Australia. The acridity is expelled from this plant by 

 cooking.' 



Combretum butyrostun Tul. Combretaceae. butter tree. 



Tropical Africa. The Kaffirs call the fatty substance obtained from the fruit chiquito. 

 It is largely used by them as an admixture to their food and is also exported.* 



CommeUna angustifolia? Commelinaceae. 



The rhizomes contain a good deal of starch mixed with mucilage and are therefore 

 fit for food when cooked.' 



C. coelestis Willd. blue spiderwort. 



Mexico. The rhizomes are used as food in India. 

 C. communis Linn. 



China. In China, this plant is much cultivated as a potherb, which is eaten in 

 spring.^ 



C. latifolia Hochst. 



Abyssinia. It is used as a potherb.' 



C. striata? 



The rhizomes are suitable for food.' 



Comocladia integrifolia Jacq. Anacardiaceae. burn-wood, maiden plum, papaw- 



WOOD. 



Tropical America. Lunan '" says the fruit is eatable but not inviting. The maiden 

 plum of the West Indies, says Morris," is grown as a fruit in the Public Gardens of Jamaica. 



Conanthera bifolia Ruiz & Pav. Haemodoraceae. 



Chile. The natives of the cotmtry make use of the root of this plant in their soups 

 and it is very pleasant to the taste. Molina " says the bulbs, when boiled or roasted, 

 are an excellent food. It is called illmu. 



Condalia mexicana Schlecht. Rhamneae. 



Northern Mexico. The berries are similar to those of C. obovata.^^ 



' Royle, J. F. Illustr. Bot. Himal. 1:407. 1839. 



' Masters, M. T. Treoi. 5o/. 1:315. 1870. 



MueUer, F. Sel. Pis. 125. 1891. 



*MueUer, F. Sel. Pis. 126. 1891. 



< Lindley, J. Veg. King. 188. 1853. 



Henfrey, A. Bot. 380. 1870. 



' Smith, F. P. Contrib. Mat. Med. China 69. 1871. (Commelyna polygama) 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 466. 1879. 



Lindley, J. Veg. King. 1%%. 1853. 

 " Lunan, J. Hort, Jam. I'.^y^. 1814. 

 " Morris Rpt. Pub. Card. Jam. 35. 1880. 

 "Molina ifii/. CMi 1:96. 1808. {Bermudiana bulbosa) 

 "Havard, V. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 509. 1885. 



