STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 43 1 



P. emblica Linn, emblic. 



Tropical Asia. This tree is fovind wild and ctiltivated in various parts of India and 

 the Indian Archipelago. The fruits are eaten by the natives in the Konkan and Deccan.^ 

 In India, a preserve of the ripe fruit made with sugar is considered a wholesome article 

 of diet;^ the fruit is also pickled and eaten.' The fruits are exceedingly acid in a raw 

 state. Dried, this fruit forms the emblic myrobalan, used as a medicine and for dyeing 

 and tanning. 



Phyllarthron bojeranum DC. Bignoniaceae. 

 Madagascar. The fruit is edible.'' 



P. comorense DC. 



In the Maritius Islands, the fruit is used for jellies.* 



Phyllocactus biformis Labour. Cacteae. 



Honduras. The fruit is of a shining, deep crimson color, shaped like a florence flask, 

 and contains numerous seeds imbedded in a soft, pinkish pulp of a sweetish, subacid taste.* 



Physalis alkekengi Linn. Solanaceae. strawberry tomato, winter cherry. 



Europe and Japan. This species has long been grown for its red, smooth, round, 

 berry-like fruits enclosed in bladder-like leaves. It was described by Dioscorides. In 

 Arabia and even in Germany and Spain, the fruits, which have a slightly acid taste, are 

 eaten for dessert. It was called struchnon halikakabon or phusalis by Dioscorides and 

 is named by the modem Boeotians keravoulia.'' 



P. angulata Linn, ground cherry. 



Tropics. The fruit is sweetish and subacid and is commonly eaten with safety if 

 perfectly ripe.* The leaves are used as a vegetable in central Africa. This species is 

 found widely dispersed over tropical regions, extending to the southern portion of the 

 United States and to Japan. It is first described by Camararius,' 1588, as a plant hitherto 

 unknown and an excellent figure is given. It was seen in a garden by C. Bauhin '" before 

 1596 and is figured in the Hortus Eystettensis,^^ 1613. J. Bauhin '^ speaks of its presence 

 in certain gardens in Europe. Linnaeus describes a variety with entire leaves, and both 

 his species and variety are figured by Dillenius," who obtained the variety from Holland 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 408. 1879. (Emblica officinalis) 



' Dutt, U. C. Mat. Med. Hindus 226. 1877. 

 ' Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 454. 1874. 



* Seemann, B. Treas. Bot. 2:880, 881. 1870. 

 Ibid. 



Smith, .A. Treas. Bot. i:^ig. 1870. (Disocactus biformis) 

 ' Hooker, W. J. Journ. Bot. 1:132. 1834. 



Nuttall, T. Gen. No. Amer. Pis. 1:130. 1818. 

 ' Ca.mera.nus Hort. Med. 70. 1588. Fig. 17. 

 " Bauhin, C. Phytopin 297. 1596. 

 ^^ Hortus Eystel. 1613 (also 1713). 

 "Bauhin, J. Hist. PL 3:609. 1651. 

 " Dillenius Hort. Elth. 14. 1774, f. 12, t. 12; p. 12, f. 11, t. 11. 



