Methods of Use. 



(1) The flour is made into porridge, nsima. The latter is dark coloured but 

 well liked. In the Lower Shire it is eaten very commonly from March until the 

 sorghum ripens in May and June. 



{2) Cigodo. The flour is mixed with water and eaten raw. 



(3) Cimera. The grain makes good malt for beer. 



(4) The flour is used for beer. (See Zea mays for method of preparation.) 



(5) Banana cakes, mikate, are made by pounding the flour with bananas then 

 boiling them. 



Ref. 23; 27. 



345. Pentarrhinum insipidum E. Mey. (Asclep.). 



Cindewe (He). 



A climbing perennial with glabrous or puberulous stems, leaves opposite, stalked, 

 cordate-ovate, acute, with rounded basal lobes, glabrous; flowers inconspicuous, 

 yellow-green, produced laterally from the leaf axils on 1-3 ins. long stalked corymbs 

 which elongate into a raceme ; fruits follicular usually solitary 1-3 ins. long, lanceolate, 

 acuminate into a beak, covered sparsely with small soft spines; found on river banks. 



The leaves are eaten as a side-dish (Mzimba District) and the roots are used for 

 medicine. 



346. Pentarrhinum sp.? 



Kafungo, cindewe (He). 



A climber found in the hills in gardens. 



The leaves are cooked as a side-dish, often mixed with mpuludwa, {Cynanchum 

 schistoglossum) and the roots are used as medicine. 



347. Pentanisia schweinfurthii Hiern (Rubiac.) Rhodesian Forget-me-not. 



Ngulungundi (N). 



A small, erect, branched herb with simple leaves borne in pairs, oval, narrowing 

 to a sessile base, about 1 ins. long with two or three stipules; flowers in heads, 

 tubular, small, blue or lilac. Widespread at high elevations, e.g., 5,000 ft. in Kota 

 Kota and Misuku Hills. 



Leaves commonly cooked as a side-dish in the dry season in hill areas ; potashes 

 are used. 



*348. Persea americana Mill. (Laurac), Avocado pear. 



Much-branched evergreen tree up to 50 ft. high; native of Central America 

 and the West Indies. The fruit becomes pale green with tinge of yellow or red 

 when ripe; it is pear-shaped with a thin somewhat brittle skin and a very large 

 hard seed. Between the skin and seed is a thick layer of greenish-yellow pulp of 

 the consistency of butter. 



The fruits are eaten by Europeans, usually served with salt and vinegar but 

 can also be used for fruit salad with other sweet fruits. As the fruits contain a 

 high percentage of oil they would form a valuable addition to the African diet, 

 either eaten raw or mixed with other foods to form a side-dish. 



Ref. 26. 



*349. Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray var. latifolius Freem. (Papil.). Tepary bean. 



A cultivated annual herb with small pointed leaves and small pods with seeds 

 resembling miniature haricot beans. Native of Arizona aiid Mexico. 



9B 



