STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 23 1 



Cyphiasp.? Campanulaceae. 



South Africa. The Hottentots are said to eat the tuberous roots of at least one 

 species of these herbaceous, twining plants.^ 



C. digitata Wild. 



South Africa. The roots are bulbous, esculent, and fleshy.^ 



Cyphomandra hartwegi Sendt. Solanaceae. 



New Gfftnda. The berry is reddish, about the size of a pigeon's egg and is two-celled. 

 It appears to be the fruit sold in the markets of Lima, where it is commonly used for cooking 

 in lieu of the ordinary tomato, the flavor of which it resembles. Tweddie says it is used 

 in Buenos Aires.' 



Cytisus scoparius Link. Leguminosae, broom, scotch broom. 



Middle Europe. Before the introduction of hops, says Johnson,^ broom tops were 

 often used to communicate a slightly bitter flavor to beer. The yoimg flower-buds are 

 occasionally pickled and used as a substitute for capers. The seeds, when roasted, are 

 used as a coffee substitute in France. 



Dacrydium cupressinum Soland. Coniferae. imou pine, red pine. rimu. 



A lofty tree of New Zealand. The fleshy cup of the nut is eatable, and a beverage 

 like spruce-beer is made from its young shoots.* 



Dahlia variabilis Desf. Compositae. dahlia. 



Mexico. The dahlia was first introduced into Spain in 1787, and three specimens 

 reached Paris in 1802.* Its petals may be used in salads. It was first cultivated for its 

 tubers but these were found to be uneatable. 



Daphne oleoides Schreb. Thymelaeaceae. daphne. 



Europe and Asia Minor. The berries are eaten but are said to' cause nausea and 

 vomiting. On the Sutlej a spirit is distilled from them." 



Dasylirion tezanum Scheele. Liliaceae. 



Texas. The bases of the leaves and the young stems are full of nutritious pulp 

 which supplies, when cooked, a useful and palatable food.* 



Datiu'a metel Linn. Solanaceae. downy thornapple. 



American tropics. This species grows abundantly along the Colorado River in 

 Arizona. The Mohaves gather the leaves and roots, bruise and mix them with water 

 and then let the mixture stand several hours after which the liquid is drawn off. The 



' Treas. Bot. 1:374. 1870. 



'Don, G. Hist. Dichl. Pis. 3:718. 1834. 



' Miers, J. Illustr. So. Amer. Pis. 1:39. 1840. 



* Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gl. Brit. 70. 1862. 

 'Smith, J. Dom. Bot. 35i. 1888. 



Bushman Journ. Agr. 2:30. 1831. 

 ' Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 384. 1876. 



Havard, V. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 517. 1885. 



