40O STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



O. cuspidata Benth. 



Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. This grass produces a small, black, nutritious 

 seed, which is groiuid into flour and made into bread by the Zimi Indians, who, when 

 their crops fail, become wandering himters after these seeds.' 



Osmanthus americana Benth. & Hook. f. Oleaceae. American olive, devil wood. 



Carolinas and southward. The fruit is eatable according to Pursh.' The fruit is 

 of no value according to Vasey.* 



O. fragrans Lour, fragrant olive. 



Himalayan region, China and Japan. The scented flowers are used for flavoring 

 teas in China and Japan.'* 



Osteomeles anthyllidifolia Lindl. Rosaceae. 



Islands of the Pacific and China. The fruit is said to be white and sweet.* 



Osyris arborea Wall. Santalaceae. 



East Indies. In Kimiaun, the leaves are used as a substitute for tea.*, ^ 



Owenia acidula F. Muell. Meliaceae. 



Australia. This plant bears a dark red or crimson fruit the edible part of which is 

 red. It is eaten raw and is very acid.* 



O. cerasifera F. Muell. sweet plum. 



Australia. The pulp of the fruit when ripe is wholesome.' 



O. venosa F. Muell. sour plum. 



Australia. The ripe pulp is wholesome.'" 



Oxalis acetosella Linn. Geraniaceae. oxalis. wood sorrel. 



North temperate regions. This plant has for a long period been one of the minor 

 vegetables in gardens although it seems to have been but rarely cultivated even in locali- 

 ties where the pleasant acidity of the leaves is esteemed in salads. Quintyne," 1690, grew 

 it in the Royal Gardens in France, and it is described among garden esculents by Vil- 

 morin ''' but as one not often grown. The leaves have been used in Iceland from time 



' U. S. D. A. Rpt. 419. 1870. {Ericoma cuspidata) 



'Pursh, F. Fl. Amer. Septent. i:y. 1814. {Olea americana) 



'U. S. D. A. Rpt. 168. 1875. {Olea americana) 



* Meyen, F. J. F. Geog. P/i. 392. 1846. {Olea americana) 



'Gray, A. U. S. Explor. Exped. 507. 1854. 



Smith, A. Treas. Bot. 2:828. 1870. 



'Royle, J. F. Iltustr. Bot. Himal. 1:322. 1839. 



' Palmer, E. Journ. Roy. Soc. New So. Wales 17:102. 1884. 



' Jackson, J. R. Treoi. So*. 2:1324. 1876. 



"> IbM. 



" Quintyne Comp. Card. 186. 1693. 



"ViXmorm Les Ph. Potag. 2,91. 1883. 



