454 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



southern ocean. Its rootstocks are from three to four feet long and lie close to the ground, 

 -bearing at their extremities large heads of leaves closely resembling cabbages.' Ross* 

 says the root tastes like horseradish, and the young leaves or hearts resemble in flavor 

 coarse mustard and cress. For 130 days his crews required no fresh vegetables but 

 this. 



Prinsepia utilis Royle. Rosaceae. 



Himalayan region. In India, an oil is expressed from the seeds, which is used as 

 food and for burning.' 



Printzia aromatica Less. Compositae. 



South Africa. Henfrey * says the leaves are used as a tea at the Cape of Good Hope. 



Prionium palmita E. Mey. Juncaceae. palmite rush. 



South Africa. The plant grows in the beds of rivers and the heart is edible.* 



Prioria copaifera Griseb. Leguminosae. 



Jamaica and Panama. The enormous seeds have edible embryos.' They are sold 

 in Panama under the name cativa. 



Pritchardia filifera Linden. Palmae. 



Southwestern North America. This species is found in rocky canons near San Felipe, 

 Cal., attaining a height of 50 feet. The fruit is small, black and pulpy and is used as 

 food by the Indians.' 



Priva laevis Juss. Verbenaceae. 



Chile and the Argentine Republic. The small tubers can be used for food.* 



Prosopis algarobilla Griseb. Leguminosae. 



Argentine Republic. The seeds are sweet and nutritious.' 



P. dulcis Kvmth. algaroba. cashau. 



Tropical America. The legimies of this tree, gathered a little before they are ripe, 

 are used in South America to fatten cattle. Later, its seeds, groimd to powder, consti- 

 tute the principal food of many of the inhabitants of Brazil, who call it algaroba.'" To 

 this species is referred the fruit mentioned by de la Vega "as called paccay by the 



' Mcintosh, C. Book Card. 2:90. 1855. 



' Ross, J. C. Voy. Antarct. Reg. 1:87. 1847. 



Brandis, D, Forest Fl. 196. 1876. 



* Henfrey, A. Bo/. 300. 187Q. 



' Smith, A. Treas. Bot. 2: <)28. 1870. 



Baillon, H. Hist. Ph. 2:161. 1872. 



'Vasey t/. 5. Z. ^. i?/)/. 186. 1875. {P. filamentosa) 



Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 382. 1891. 



Baillon, H. Hist. Pis. 2:$2. 1872. 

 " Waddell Trans. Horl. Soc. Land. 179. 1851. 

 " DeVega Roy. Comment. Hakl. Soc. Ed. 2:362. 1871. 



