XV THE TANIA 291 



eating that it was cultivated from the eailiest known times. 

 Like other widely distributed food plants, there is a good 

 deal of confusion in regard to the nomenclature. In Jamaica Nomen- 

 the tubers are called cocoes, and in other parts of the West '''^''"'^• 

 Indies they are called eddoes and tanias, the last mentioned 



TANIA. Colocasia esculenta. 



name being spelt sometimes tannias, taniers, and tanniers. 

 In the Pacific islands they are known as taros, and an old 

 French writer on Santo Domingo alludes to them as Tanias 

 tayaux. The name tania has been adopted by the author, ''°''°^'- 

 for the reason that it is the one most generally used through- 

 out the West Indies and South America, and because it is 



not 



U 2 



