440 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



of Rome. An account of the growing of pepper in India is given by Mandeville, who 

 traveled there in 1322-1356. 



P. sannentoslun Roxb. long pepper. 



East Indies and Malay. The fruit, according to Wight, is gathered and sold as long 

 pepper. 



P. sylvaticum Roxb. mountain long pepper. 



East Indies and Burma. The spikes, both green and ripe, are used in Bengal as 

 long pepper.' 



P. umbellatum Linn. 



Tropics. The leaves may be boiled and eaten.* 



Piptadenia peregrina Benth. Leguminosae. black parica. 



Brazil and British Guiana. The native tribes intoxicate themselves with the fumes 

 of the burning seeds.' 



Pipturus velutinus Wedd. Urticaceae. 



Moluccas. This species bears a sweet but rather insipid fruit.* 



Pisonia alba Span. Nyctagineae. tree lettuce. 



East Indies, Malay and common in the gardens about Madras. In taste, the leaves 

 somewhat resemble lettuce, but Wight says, to his taste, it is but an indifferent substitute.' 



Pistacia atlantica Desf. Anacardiaceae. mastic tree. 



Mediterranean region. The Moors eat the fruits and bruise them to mix with their 

 dates.' 



P. lentiscus Linn, mastic tree. 



Southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia; introduced into the United 

 States by the Patent Office in 1855 for trial in southern California and the Gulf States.' 

 Mastic is the resin obtained from incisions in the bark of this tree and is produced princi- 

 pally in the Island of Scio and in Asiatic Tvirkey. Mastic is consumed in large quantities 

 by the Turks for chewing to sweeten the breath and to strengthen the gums. The tree is 

 cultivated in Italy and Portugal but is said to produce no resin in these climates. From 

 the kernel of the fruit, an oil may be obtained, which is fine for table use. 



P. mexicana H. B. & K. 



Mexico. This is a small tree with edible nuts found by Bigelow near the mouth 

 of the Pecos.* 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 579. 1879. 



'Sloane, H. Nat. Hist. Jam. 1:136. 1707. 



' Hcxjker, W. J. Journ. Bot. 2:132. 1840. 



* Wight, R. Icon. Pis. 2: PI. 676. 1843. (Moms paniculatus) 



'Wight, R. Icon. Ph. 5:P\. 1765. 1852. (P. morindifolia) 



Loudon, J. C. Arb. Frut. Brit. 2:548. 1844. 



' u. s. Pal. Off. apt. Lvin. 1855. 



Havard, V. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mtts. 511. 1885. 



