Section I 



General Instructions 



Purpose and scope of the manual. — This manual is designed to 

 aid the serviceman to live off the land if he becomes separated 

 from his unit. It illustrates and describes common edible and 

 poisonous plants of the Caribbean region, chiefly of Central 

 America and the West Indies. 



Included in the manual are the more common plants that are 

 found in reasonable abundance and that may be used as food 

 in times of emergency. The following types of plants have 

 been excluded: 



1. Rare species. 



2. Plants well known to Americans, such as maize or Indian 

 corn, rice, carrots, beets, garden beans, squashes, cucumbers, 

 tgg plants, sweet peppers, sugar cane, and other universally 

 cultivated food plants. 



3. Familiar fruits such as oranges, bananas, pineapples, and 

 specific types of cocoanuts. 



Edible plants of the Caribbean. — In emergency many tropical 

 plants may be eaten if they have no unpleasant taste, but try 

 only a little at a time. Included in the manual are a few of the 

 edible roots usually found in cultivation. However if they are 

 found wild at any time be certain to cook them well before eating. 

 In this region of tropical America there are some plants with 

 very succulent stems that contain sufficient sap to be used as a 

 substitute for water. Avoid any that have milky juice or sap, 

 unless they are described as edible in this manual. Do not eat 

 any raw fruit found on the ground, because it may carry a disease. 



The list of poisonous or harmful plants discussed is rather 

 formidable, but only a few will be found in any one locality, 

 and often none at all. Poisonous plants are no more common 



