STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 317 



Dr. Baldwin has been informed that the negroes in the South sometimes eat the 

 roots.' 



I. mammosa Choisy. 



Tropics. According to Forster,^ this species is cultivated under the name of umara, 

 gumarra, or gumalla in Tahiti and in southern New Zealand. 



I. tuberosa Linn. Spanish woodbine. 



Tropics. The edible tubers are much like the sweet potato in size, taste and form.' 



I. turpethum R. Br. 



Asia, tropical Australia, Society and Friendly Islands and the New Hebrides. The 

 soft, sweet stem is sucked by the boys of Tahiti.^ 



Iridea edulis Bory. Algae. 



" It is an tmaccoimtable fact that this plant should have been long confounded with 

 Rhodymenia palmata the true Irish eatable Dulse. I have never seen I. edulis eaten, 

 but Stackhouse tells us that in Cornwall it is sometimes eaten by fishermen, who crisp it 

 over the fire." ' 



Iris cristata Ait. Irideae. crested iris. 



Mountains of Virginia and southward. Pursh says the root, when chewed, at first 

 occasions a pleasant, sweet taste, which, in a few minutes, turns to a burning sensation 

 by far more pungent than capsiciun. The hunters of Virginia use it very frequently to 

 alleviate thirst. 



I. ensata Thunb. sword-leaved iris. 



Himalayas and northern Asia. This iris is cultivated in Japan for the rootstocks, 

 which furnish starch.^ 



I. japonica Thunb. 



Japan. This species is grown in Japan and is used for the same purpose as I. ensata. 



I. pseudacorus Linn, yellow iris. 



Eastern Asia and Europe. The angular seeds, when ripe, are said to form a good 

 substitute for coffee but must be well roasted before eating.^ 



I. setosa Pall. 



Siberia. This species is grown in Japan and is used for the same purpose as /. ensata. 



I. sibirica Linn. Siberian iris. 



Europe and northern Asia. This species is grown in Japan and is used for the same 

 P'orpose as /. ensata. 



'ElUott, S. Bot. So. Car., Ca. 1:253. 1821. 



De Candolle, A. Geog. Bot. 2:824. I^SS- 



De Candolle, A. Geog. Bot. 2:823. 1855. 



<Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 329. 1859. (Convolvulus turpethum) 



'Harvey, W. H. Phycol. Brit. 3: PI. XCVII. 1846-51. 



' Georgeson Amer. Card. 13: 210. 1892. 



'Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gt. Brit. 267. 1862. 



