STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 533 



Setaria glauca Beauv. Gramineae. 



Europe, temperate Asia and eastern equatorial Africa. This plant is infested with 

 a small, round fungus, the dust of which is eaten by the natives. It was observed by- 

 Grant at 2 north and was described by Hochst.' 

 S. italica Beauv. bengal grass. Italian millet. Japanese millet. 



Tropics and subtropics. This species is frequently cultivated in Italy and other 

 warm countries.^ The seeds are found in the debris of the lake villages of Switzerland.'* 

 This millet 'Vas introduced into France in 1815, where its cultivation as a forage plant 

 has become considerably extended.'' In the United States, its seed was distributed through 

 the Patent Office in 1854,' and its cultivation as a fodder crop has become quite extended. 



This plant seems to have been known to the ancient Greeks as elumos and to the 

 Romans as panicum.^ It is now grown in Italy as a fodder plant and for the grain to 

 form polenta.' This millet forms a valued crop in southern Europe as also in some parts 

 of central Europe. It is not mentioned among American grasses by Flint, 1857, and is 

 barely mentioned by Gould, 1870, except by description. It is mentioned as introduced 

 from Etu-ope and now spontaneous, by Gray,^ 1868, but millet, probably this species, 

 is mentioned prior to 1844. In India, this millet is considered by the natives as one of 

 the most delicious of cultivated grains and is held in high estimation by the Brahmans. 

 At Mysore, three varieties are cultivated: bill, on watered land; kempa, in palm gardens, 

 and mohu, in dry fields. In more western tracts, other varieties are grown.' 



Shepherdia argentea Nutt. Elaeagnaceae. buffalo berry. 



Western plains of the United States. This plant is somewhat cultivated for orna- 

 ment. Catlin '" speaks of it in its native region as producing its fruit in incredible quan- 

 tities, hanging in clusters to every limb and to every twig, about the size of ordinary 

 currants and not unlike them in color and even in flavor, being exceedingly acid and 

 almost unpalatable imtil they are bitten by the frosts of autumn, when they are sweet- 

 ened and their flavor becomes delicious. They are dried by the Indians as winter food. 

 S. canadensis Nutt. 



Vermont and Wisconsin northward to beyond the Arctic circle and very common 

 on the Mackenzie. Its small, red, juicy, very bitter and slightly acid berry is useful; 

 says Richardson," for making an extempore beer, which ferments in twenty-four hours 

 and is an agreeable beverage in hot weather. Gray "^ calls the fruit insipid. 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 733. 1879. (5. aurea) 



'Loudon, J. C. Enc.Agr.izi. 1866. 6th Ed. 



' Ileer, O. Card. Chron. 1068. 1866. 



* riint, C. L. Grasses, Forage Pis, 145. 1867. (Panicum germanicum) 



' U. S. Pal. Off. Rpt. XXn. 1854. {Panicum germanicum) 



Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 1859. 



' Morton Enc. Agr. 2:550. 1869. 



Gray, A. Man. Bot. 650. 1868. 



" Ainslie, W. Mat. Med. 1:226. 1826. (Panicum italicum) 



" Catlin, G. No. Amer. Indians i:~2. 1842. 



" Richardson, J. Arctic Explor. 2:307. 1851. 



"Gray, A. Afa. Bo/. 425. 1868. 



