STURTEV ant's NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 605 



Xanthinm strumarium Linn. Compositae. bur weed. 



Cosmopolitan. In China, the leaves and shoots are eaten as a vegetable.^ 



Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. Sapindaceae. 



China. The flowers, leaves and fruit are used for food.' 



Xanthorrhoea arborea R. Br. Juncaceae. grass gum tree. 



An Australian tree. The tender, white center of the leaves is used as a 

 vegetable.' 



X. hastilis R. Br. grass tree. 



Southern Australia. The tender, inner leaves are esodent and far from disagreeable, 

 having a milky taste with a slight, balsamic flavor.* 



Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott. Aroideae. 



Tropical America. This plant is generally planted in Jamaica for the use of the 

 table. Lunan * says, in wholesomeness and delicacy, it is superior to spinach and vies 

 with any European vegetable whatever. The roots are said to be edible. Starch is 

 obtained from the rootstocks.* 



Ximenia americana Linn. Olacineae. hog plum, seaside plum. 



Cosmopolitan tropics. The fruits resemble yellow plimis, are edible and of an agree- 

 able taste.^ They have an acid-sweet, aromatic taste, with some degree of austerity.' 

 The plant bears round, orange-colored fruits, of which the natives of the Fiji and other 

 islands of the Pacific Ocean are very fond, though they are rather tart. Before they are 

 ripe they possess a powerful odor of essential oil of almonds.^ In the Circars, its yellow 

 fruit, which is about the size of a pigeon's egg, is eaten by the natives.'" 



Xylopia aethiopica A. Rich. Anonaceae. Ethiopian pepper, guinea pepper, negro 

 pepper. 

 Tropical Africa. A tall shrub whose fruit, consisting of a nimiber of smooth, pod-like 

 carpels about the thickness of a quill and two inches long, is dried and used instead of 

 pepper. The seeds have an aromatic, pimgent taste and were formerly sold in English 

 shops under the name of Ethiopian pepper, Guinea pepper and Negro pepper." 



' Smith, F. P. Contrib. Mat. Med. China 233. 1871. 



* Bretschneider, E. Bol. Sin. 52. 1882. 

 ' Smith, A. 7"reoj. Bo<. 2:1239. 1870. 



* Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 564. 1879. 

 ' Lunan, J. Hort. Jam. 1:415. 18 14. 



' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 2:1239. 1870. 

 'Vasey, G. U. S. D. A. Rpt. 156. 1875. 

 ' Smith, A. Treas. Bot. 2:1241. 1870. 

 ' Ibid. ( X. etliptica) 



> Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. ^56. 1879. {X. spinosa) 

 "Don, G. Hist. Dichl. Pis. 1:^5. 1831. ( Unona aethiopica) 



