sturtevant's notes on edible plants 331 



L. palustre Linn, marsh rosemary. 



Northern and arctic regions. This plant furnished a tea to Richardson ' in his arctic 

 journey. 



Lens esculenta Moench. Leguminosae. lentil. 



Orient. This was probably one of the first plants brought under cultivation by 

 mankind for food. Lentils were known to the ancient Greeks, Jews and Egyptians. The 

 cultivation of the lentil is very ancient, as it has been found in the Egyptian tombs of the 

 twelfth dynasty, or 2200 to 2400 B. C- It has been found in the lacustrine debris of 

 Switzerland dating from the age of bronze.^ Lentils are now cultivated extensively through- 

 out most parts of the East, including Egj-pt, Nubia, Syria and India; likewise in most 

 of the countries of central and southern Europe. Wilkinson states that in ancient Egypt 

 much attention was bestowed on the culture of this useful pulse, and certain varieties 

 became remarkable for their excellence, the lentils of Pelusium being esteemed both in Egypt 

 and in foreign countries. In Egypt and S3ma, the seeds are parched and sold in the shops. 

 In France and Spain, there are three varieties cultivated; the small brown or red sort is 

 preferred for haricots and soups, and the yellow lentil is readily convertible into flour 

 and serves as the base of certain adulterated preparations.* In England, lentils are but 

 little cultivated, yet two varieties are named: the French, of an ash-gray color; the Egyptian, 

 with a dark skin and of an orange-red color inside. In 1834, seeds of the lentil were dis- 

 tributed from the United States Patent Office.* 



Leonia glycycarpa Ruiz & Pav. Violarieae. 



A tree of Peru, the fruit of which is called achocon. The fruits are the size of a peach, 

 with a rough, netted skin and sweet ptilp, which is eaten by the Peruvians ^ and is much 

 relished.' 



Leopoldinia major Wallace. Palmae. jara palm. 



Brazil. The Indians of the Rio Negro collect the fruit in large quantities and, by 

 burning and washing, extract a flotary substance which they use as a substitute for salt. 



Lepidium diffusum DC. Cruciferae. dittander. 



Louisiana. The plant is eatable as a water cress.' 



L. draba Linn, hoary cress. 



East Mediterranean coimtries. The plant is cooked and eaten in Cappadocia, and 

 the seeds are substituted for pepper in seasoning. 



' Barrow, J. Voy. Disc. Arctic Reg. 379. 1846. 



' Schweinfurth in Nature $1 4. 1883. 



' De CandoUe, A. Orig. Ph. Cult. 322. 1885. 



Wilkinson, J. G. Anc. Egypt. 1:167. 1854. 



' Journ. Agr. 5:65. 1853. New series. 



U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 16. 1854. (Ervum lens) 



' Smith, J. Did. Econ. Pis. 3. 1882. 



'Smith, A. Treas. Bot. 2:670. 1870. 



' Don, G. Hist. DicU. Pis. 1:221. 1831. (Lepidiastrum diffusum) 



