362 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



bean has led to its use as a substitute for hops in brewing. Large quantities are said to 

 be collected for the adulteration of beer. It has long been employed in Sweden for this 

 purpose. In Lapland and Finland, the rhizomes are sometimes powdered, washed to 

 get rid of the bitter principle and then made into a kind of bread.' In the outer Hebrides, 

 when there is a deficiency of tobacco, the islanders console themselves by chewing the 

 root of the marsh trefoil which has a bitter and acrid taste.' 



Mercurialis annua Linn. Euphorbiaceae. annual mercury. 



Europe and north Africa and occasionally found spontaneously growing in the United 

 States. Annual mercury, says Johnson,' is eaten in Germany, the poisonous principle 

 which it contains in small quantity being dissipated in boiling. 



Meriandra benghalensis Benth. Labiatae. bengal sage. 



India. Bengal sage, says Firminger,'* is in general use in lower Bengal as a substi- 

 tute for sage but it is rather an indifferent substitute. 



Mesembryanthemum acinaciforme Linn. Ficoideae. hottentot fig. 



South Africa. This is one of the Hottentot figs of South Africa. The inner part 

 of the fruit affords, says Mueller,* a really palatable and copious food. 



M. aequilaterale Haw. pig's face. 



Australia and South America. This is an Australian species whose fruit is eaten 

 by the natives.* The inner part of the fruit affords a palatable and copious food, accord- 

 ing to Mueller.' In California, say Brewer and Watson,* the fruit is edible and pleasant. 

 This is perhaps the species referred to by Parry as littoral in southern California and as 

 having an edible, juicy fruit. In Australia, says J. Smith,'" the watery and insipid fruit 

 'is eaten by the natives. Wilhelmi " says two varieties of this genus in Australia have 

 fruit of an agreeable flavor and are eaten by the aborigines of the Port Lincoln district. 



M. anatomicum Haw. canna root. kon. 



South Africa. The Hottentots, says Thunberg,'' come far and near to obtain this 

 shrub with the root, leaves and all, which they beat together and afterwards twist up like 

 pig-tail tobacco; after which they let the mass ferment and keep it by them for chewing, 

 especially when they are thirsty. If it be chewed immediately after the fermentation, 

 it intoxicates. 



' Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gt. Brit. 179. 1862. 



' /ottrn. /4gr. 2:379. 1 83 1. 



> Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gt. Brit. 226. 1862. {M. perennis) 



* Firminger, T. A. C. Gard. Ind. 158. 1874. 

 'Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 185. 1880. 



Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 347. 1859. 



'Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 278. 1891. 



Brewer and Watson Bot. Col. 251. 1880. 



Parry Boi. U. S. Mex. Bound. Surv. 16. 1859. 

 "Smith, J. Diet. Econ. Pis. 174. 1882. 



" Hooker, W. J. Joum. Bot. 9:266. 1857. 

 " Thunberg, C. P. Trav. 2:89. 1796. 



