STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 447 



Poa abyssinica Jacq. Gramineae. teff. 



A mountain plant of Abyssinia, cultivated eveiywhere there, at a height of from 

 2500 to 8000 feet where gentle heat and rain favor its development. Its seeds furnish 

 the favorite bread of the Abyssinians in the form of thin, highly leavened and spongy 

 cakes. Four varieties of this grain are cultivated.' Parkyns ^ writes that teff is con- 

 sidered by the Abyssinians wholesome and digestible, but so far from being satisfied of 

 this, he is doubtful of its containing much nutritive property and as for its taste, he says, 

 " fancy yofeself chewing a piece of sour sponge and you will have a good idea of what 

 is considered the best bread in Abyssinia." 



P. flabellata Hook. f. 



Fuego and the Falkland Islands. Ross ' saj^ the lower part of the culm in the tus- 

 sock is so fleshy and juicy that when a tuft of leaves is drawn out from a tussock-bog, 

 an inch of the base, about the thickness of a finger, affords a very sweet morsel, with 

 flavor like nuts. Two men subsisted almost entirely upon this substance for 14 

 months. 



Podocarpus andina Poepp. Coniferae. plum fir. 



Chile. This species forms a stately tree bearing at fruiting season clusters of edible, 

 cherry-like fruits.* 



P. dacrydioides A. Rich, white pine. 



New Zealand. The white, sweet fruit is eaten by the natives.^ The drupe is also 

 eaten. 



P. spicata R. Br. black pine. 



New Zealand. Its yoimg shoots are made into a beverage like spruce beer.' It 

 has sweet, edible drupes. 



P. totara G. Benn. mahogany pine, totara pine. 

 New Zealand. The fruit is eaten.' 



Podococcus barteri Mann & H. Wendl. Palmae. 

 Western tropical Africa. The fruit is edible. 



Podophyllum emodi Wall. Berberideae. Himalayan may apple. 



India. The berry is edible but the roots and leaves are poisonous. 



P. peltatum Linn, mandrake, may apple, raccoon-berpy. wild lemon. 



Northeast America. " Certaine ground apples, a pleasant fruite " were seen by 



' Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 306. 1859. (Eragrostis abyssinica) 

 Parkyns, M. Life Abyss. 1:306. 1856. 



Ross, J. C. Voy. Antarct. Reg. 2:269. 1847. 

 < Mueller, F. Set. Ph. 292. 1891. 



Ibid. 



Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 1:378. 1870. (Dacrydium taxifolium) 

 ' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 2:908. 1870. 



Mueller. F. Set. Pis. 376. 1891. 8th Ed. 



