STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 3II 



H. brasiliensis Griseb. 



Southern Brazil. This smooth, perennial herb has the aspect of a sow-thistle. It 

 is sometimes used like endive as a salad.' 



H. maculata Linn. 



Europe and northern Asia. The leaves may be used as a salad.^ 



H. radicata Linn, spotted cat's ear. 



Europe and north Africa. This weed of Britain, says Johnson,' has been cultivated 

 in gardens but has fallen into disuse. The wild plant may be boiled as a potherb. 



H. scorzonerae F. Muell. 



Chile. The plant has edible roots.* 



Hypoxis sp.? Amaryllideae. 



Labillardiere ^ found a species in the forests of New Caledonia, the roots of which 

 are eaten by the natives. 



H3rptis spicigara Lam. Labiatae. 



African tropics. This plant of tropical Africa is called neeno and is cultivated by 

 the natives of Gani as a grain. It is eaten roasted by them. They also extract an oil 

 from the seeds, both black and white, of this strongly smelling plant. Schweinfurth ' 

 says the tiny seeds are brazed to a jelly and are used by the natives of central Africa as 

 an adjunct to their stews and gravies. The Bongo and Niam-Niam, especially, store 

 large quantities. 



Hyssopus officinalis Linn. Labiaiae. hyssop. 



Europe and temperate Asia. Hyssop was once considerably employed in domestic 

 medicine. From the frequent mention made of it in Scripture, we may infer that it grew 

 wild in Syria and Egypt. In French and Italian cookery, the tops of the young shoots 

 are sometimes used in soups.* In 1597, Gerarde ' figures three varieties; in 1683, Wor- 

 lidge names it among culinary herbs in England, but says it is more valued for medicine; 

 in 1778, Mawe'" describes six varieties, and says the plant is generally cultivated in the 

 kitchen garden; in 1806," McMahon includes hyssop in his list of kitchen aromatics for 

 American gardens. Hyssop is mentioned among European garden plants by Albertus 

 Magnus in the thirteenth century and in nearly all the later botanies, Ray enumerating 



' Black, A. A. Treas. Bot. 2:1052. 1870. 

 ' Loudon, J. C. Hort. 683. i860. 

 Johnson, C. P. UseftU Pis. Gt. Brit. 147. 1862. 

 'Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 236. 1891. 

 ' Labillardidre Voy. Recherche La Perouse 2:243. '799- 

 'Speke, J. H. Journ. Disc. Source Nile 579. 1864. 

 ' Schweinfurth, G. Heart A fr. 1:250. 1874. 

 'Mcintosh, C. Book Gard. 2:241. 1855. 

 Gerarde, J. Herb. 464. 1597. 

 " Mawe and Abercrombie Univ. Card. Bat. 1778. 

 "McMahon, B. Amer. Gard. Cal. 583. 1806. 



