46 THE USES OF PLANTS. 



podium auricomum, Lindl, Australian Spinach, recently 

 introduced, is one of the few food-plants we have 

 received from Australia. Tetragonia expanses, Willd., 

 Summer or New Zealand Spinach, belongs to a dis- 

 tinct order the Tetragonieae. 



SEA-KALE (Crambe maritima, L.) is another British 

 Crucifer, only cultivated within the last two centuries, 

 and but little altered thereby. Its stems and leaf- 

 stalks are blanched by being earthed up, and eaten 

 boiled. 



CELERY (Apium graveolens, L.), a British Umbel- 

 liferous plant, strongly smelling and unwholesome 

 when green, is similarly treated. It is also eaten 

 raw. Its consumption in London is very large. 



ASPARAGUS consists of the young annual leafy 

 shoots of the liliaceous Asparagus officinalis, L., a 

 native of our sea-coast, cultivated since Roman 

 times. It is now in enormous request, and is largely 

 imported. The shoots or tops of Nettles (Urtica 

 dioica, L., etc.) and of Hops (Humulus Lupulus, L.) 

 have been similarly employed. 



The ARTICHOKE (Cynara Scolymus, L.) is a Com- 

 posite from the Mediterranean region, of which the 

 edible portion is the common receptacle and the 

 fleshy bases of the large imbricated bracts of the 

 thistle-like inflorescence. 



The CARDOON (C. Cardunculus, L.) is an allied 

 species, in which the young leaf-stalks are blanched 

 for eating. 



The LEEK (A Ilium Porrwn, L.), an ally of the 

 onion, is eaten whole. 



Salad plants are rich in salts, especially potash. 



