STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 553 



Thunberg ' enumerates sorghtun among the edible plants of Japan. In Europe, says 

 Unger,^ sorghum is raised to advantage in Hungary, Dalmatia, Italy and Portugal. In 

 the United States, sorghum will probably not be grown as a food grain except in the arid 

 regions. 



Soiindeia madagascariensis DC. Anacardiaceae. 



Africa and Madagascar. On the upper Nile, the fruit is eaten. The bunches are 

 two feet loijg with 200 plums each, the size of a sparrow egg, taste like a mango, are yellow 

 and hang curiously from the main trunk and boughs like parasites. The fruits grow also 

 from among the leaves.' 



Sparaxis bulbifera Ker-Gawl. Irideae. harlequin flower. 

 South Africa. The bulbous tubers are edible.* 



Specularia speculum A. DC. Campanulaceae. venus's looking-glass. 



Eiu-ope and Mediterranean region. Henfrey ' says this plant has been used in salads. 

 It is grown in the flower garden in France." 



Spergula arvensis Linn. Caryophylleae. corn spurry. toadflax. 



Europe; naturalized in North America. In Finland and Scandinavia, says Johnson,' 

 in time of scarcity bread has sometimes been made of the seeds. 



Sphaerococcus cartilaginens Good. & Wood. Algae. 



Balfotu- ' says this seaweed is used in China as a substitute for edible birds-nestS. 

 It is to be fovmd in Chinese markets and differs but little from Irish moss and is used as 

 a substitute for the more expensive birds-nest. 



Sphagnum obtusifolium Ehrh. Sphagnales. bog moss, sphagnum. 



Temperate climates. Sphagnum, says Lindley,' is a wretched food in barbarous 

 countries. 



Spilanthes acmella Murr. Compositae. alphabet-plant, para cress. 



Cosmopolitan tropics and subtropics. This plant is used as a salad plant in Brazil.'" 

 It is the Cresson du Bresil of the French and is cultivated as a seasoning plant." In South 

 America, it is the cress of Para and is cultivated as a salad and potherb in tropical countries.'* 



Thunberg, C. P. Fl. Jap.XX.Xlll. 1784. 

 linger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 306. 1859. 

 Spake, J. H. Journ. Disc. Source Nile 565. 1864. 

 < Seemann, B. Treas. Bot. 2:1076. 1870. 

 Henfrey, A. Bol. 303. 1870. 



^VAmoiva. Fl. PI. Ter. 220. 1870. 3rd Ed. (^Campanula speculum) 

 ' Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gt. Brit. 53. 1862. 

 Balfour, J. H. Man. Bot. 520. 1844. 

 Lindley, J. Med. Econ. Bot. 23. 1849. 

 n Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 356. 1859. (5. oleracea) 

 " Bon Jard. 567. 1882. (5. fusca) 

 "Black, A. A. Treas. Bot. 2:1083. 1870. (S. oleracea) 



