39 STURTEV ant's NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



the cave temples at Adjunta and in Brahmanical cave temples. In the upper Nile region 

 it is called macongee-congee, and the flowers and roots are eaten by the Wahiyon.' 



Nyssa capitata Walt. Cornaceae. ogeechee lime. 



On the banks of rivers in the Carolinas. The fruit is large, orange-colored and full 

 of an acid similar to a lime, from which it is known by the name of Ogeechee lime.* 



N. multiflora Wangenh. black gum. pepperidge. sour gum. upland tupelo. 



Eastern North America. The fruit is pleasantly acidulous and is often used for 

 preserves.' 

 N. uniflora Wangenh. large tupelo. ogeechee lime, wild olive. 



Eastern America. Its fruit, according to Browne,^ is sold in the Savannah market 

 under the name of Ogeechee lime for the purpose of a preserve. 



Ochrocarpos africanaOUver. Guttiferae. 



Tropical Africa. The fruit is twice the size of a man's fist; the rind is brown and 

 thick, and the pulp is yellow and excellent.' 

 O. longifolius Benth. & Hook. f. 



East Indies. The fruit is similar to an acorn in size and appearance. Between the 

 stone and the rind is a soft, pulpy juice of rosewater flavor, considered very agreeable 

 by some.' Its fruit is delicious to the taste.'' 



Ocimum basilicum Linn. Labiatae. sweet basil. 



Western and tropical Asia. A fragrant and aromatic plant of tropical Asia, which, 

 as a culinary plant, has been celebrated from a very early period. Mcintosh * says it 

 was condemned by Chrysippus more than 200 years before Christ as an enemy to the 

 sight and a robber of the wits. Diodorus and Hollerus entertained equally superstitious 

 notions regarding it. Philistis, Plistonicus and others extolled its virtues and recom- 

 mended it as strongly as it had been formerly condemned. Pliny says the Romans sowed 

 the seeds of this plant with maledictions and ill words, believing the more it was ctirsed 

 the better it would prosper; and when they wished for a crop, they trod it down with their 

 feet and prayed to the gods that it might not vegetate. It seems to have been first cul- 

 tivated in Britain in 1 548 and is now valued for the leaves and leafy tops, which are much 

 employed for seasoning soups, stews, sauces and various other dishes. It reached America 

 before 1806 as it is then mentioned by McMahon ^ as a well-known plant. Sweet basil 

 seeds, according to Miss Bird,'" are eaten in Japan. 



' Speke, J. H. Journ. Disc. Source Nile 561. 1864. 

 'Pursh, F. Fl. Amer. Seplent. 1:177. 1814. (.N. candicans) 

 'Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 299. 1891. 



* Browne, D. J. Trees Amer. 427. 1846. (N. candicans) 

 'Don, G. Hist. DicU. Pis. i:6ig. 1831. (Mammea africana) 

 ' Firminger, T. A. C. Card. Ind. 207. 1874. {Calysaccion longifolium) 

 ' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 712. 1879. {Calysaccion longifolium) 

 Mcintosh, C. Book Card. 2:4. 1855. 

 'McMahon, B. Amer. Card. Cal. 199. 1806. 

 "Bird Unbeat. Tracks Jap. 1:238. 1881. 



