224 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



C. angustifolia Roxb. arrowroot. 



Himalayan region. The root had long been an article of food amongst the natives 

 of India before it was particularly noticed by Europeans.* It furnishes an arrowroot of a 

 yellow tinge which does not thicken in boiling water.' This East Indian arrowroot is 

 exported from Travancore.' It forms a good substitute for the West Indian arrowroot 

 and is sold in the bazaars.* 

 C. leucorhiza Roxb. 



East Indies. The tubers yield a starch which forms an excellent arrowroot that 

 is sold in the bazaars.' 



C. longa Linn, turmeric. 



Tropical Asia. This plant is extensively cultivated in India for its tubers which 

 are an essential ingredient of native curry powders, according to Dutt.' The substance 

 called turmeric is made from the old tubers of this and perhaps other species. The young, 

 colorless tubers fvunish a sort of arrowroot.' 



C. rubescens Roxb. 



East Indies. This plant furnishes an excellent arrowroot from its tubers, which is 

 eaten by the natives and sold in the bazaars.* 

 C. zedoaria Rose, zedoary. 



Himalayas. This plant yields a product used as tvirmeric. 



Cyamopsis psoraloides DC. Leguminosae. 



East Indies. This species is cultivated about Bombay for the sake of the pods 

 which are eaten like French beans,' and is grown also by the natives of Burma who esteem 

 it a good vegetable.'" Wight " says " the young beans are with reason much prized by the 

 natives as a culinary pulse and merit more attention from Etiropeans, as they are a 

 pleasant and delicate vegetable." 



Cyanella capensis Linn. Haemodoraceae. 



South Africa. A kind 'of onion is obtained from this plant and roasted for the table 

 by the farmers of Kaffraria.'^ 



Cyathea dealbata Swartz. Cyatheaceae. silvery tree-fern. 

 The pith of this tree-fern is said to be eaten in New Zealand." 



'Ainslie, W. Mat. Ind. i:ig. 1826. 



^ Firminger, T. A. C. Card. Ind. 114. 1874. 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 579. 1879. 



* Royle, J. F. lUustr. Bol. Himal. 1:359. 1839. 

 Ibid. 



Dutt, U. C. Mat. Med. Hindus 255. 1877. 

 ' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 1:363. 1870. 

 Royle, J. F. Illustr. Bot. Himal. 359. 1839. 



Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 332. 1879. 

 " Ibid. 



" Wight lUustr. Ind. Bot. 1 : 191. 1840. 

 " Thunberg, C. p. Trav. 2:14. 1796. 

 "Moore, T. Treas. Bot. 1:366. 1870. 



