Edible Products. 



[July, 1908- 



September till April. Considered most 

 edible and much sought after. [Diwul, 

 Vila, Wood apple ; fruit edible.] 



48. Lahsowra (Uordiamyxa, L., Nat. 

 Old. Boraginioe.) — A forest tree which 

 is also cultivated. The fruit when un- 

 ripe is boiled and eaten and when ripe 

 eaten uncooked. Fruits about April and 

 ripens in June. Considered most edible 

 and much sought after- [Lolu, Naruvili, 

 Vidi, common in dry zone. The fruits 

 used to be known as sebestens.l 



Creepers. 



49. Thulwa. — A jungle creeper. The 

 root which is generally long and narrow 

 is pounded and ground in a chakki and 

 bread made from the flour produced. It 

 seems Ahirs give the pounded root to 

 buffaloes, as it is said to improve the 

 milk-supply and bestow strength. 



50. Mudlater. — A junglecreeper. The 

 fruit when ripe is eaten uncooked. The 

 fruit ripens in January and February. 



51. Teona (Dioscorea, Sp., Nat. Ord, 

 Dioscoreaceoe). — A jungle creeper found 

 in the sub-montane forest. The root is 

 either boiled or roasted and eaten as a 

 vegetable. [Several Dioscoreas in Ceylon 

 (yams).] 



52. Belra Kand (Pueraria tuberosa, 

 D. C, Nat. Old. Leguminosoe). — A large 

 jungle creeper. The root when small is 

 eaten uncooked and has a sweet taste, 

 when Ibig it is boiled after removing 

 the outside and eaten as a vegetable. 

 Each plant has several tuberous roots 

 like the potato. The root is also used 

 medicinally. 



53. Kanti (Dioscorea sativa, L., Nat. 

 Ord. Dioscoreaceoe.)— A jungle creeper. 

 The root is parched or boiled after re- 

 moving the outside aud eaten. [Panu- 

 kondol, common in the lowcountry.] 



54. Arwa Dioscorea Sp.)— A ground 

 creeper. The root is parched or boiled, 

 after removing the outside and eaten. 

 [Cf. 51, 53.] 



55. Pahettjla (Mukia scabrella, Arm, 

 Nat. Ord. Cucurbitaceoe).—A kind of 

 cucumber which is commonly found in 

 juar, kodon or cotton fields. The fruit 

 when unripe is boiled and eaten after 

 the seeds have been removed, but 

 when ripe is eaten uncooked. Fruits in 

 August and ripens in October. [Hin- 

 kekiri, Moehumochukkai, common in 

 low country. J 



56. Gainth. — A jungle creeper. The 

 root is rather poisonous, but it is boiled 

 and buried in the earth for 2 or 3 days 

 by which it seems the poisonous pro- 



perties are removed. After being dug 

 up again the outside is removed aud the 

 rest eaten as a vegetable. 



57. Chihar (Bauhinia Vahlii, W. and 

 A., Nat. Ord. Leguminosoe). — A jungle 

 creeper which produces a long flat bean- 

 like fruit. The seed of the fruit only is 

 parched and eaten. [Other Bauhinias in 

 Ceylon.] 



58. Gulki (Asparagus, Sp., Nat. Ord. 

 Liliaceoe.)—A small jungle creeper. The 

 root is boiled and eaten like a potato. 

 [Several Asparagus in Ceylon,] 



59. Tarul.— A creeper found in sub- 

 montane forest. The root is boiled and 

 eaten ard is considered most edible. It 

 is a common article of food amongst 

 jungle tribes. 



60. Ban Baswa.— A broad leafed 

 thorny creeper. The root is pounded, 

 ground and bread made of the flour. 

 Not very edible. 



61. Birahni. — A jungle creeper. The 

 root is parched or boiled and eaten like 

 a potato. The fruit which ripens in 

 August is boiled and used as a vegetable. 

 Said to be most edible and much sought 

 after. 



62. Jangli Sem (probably Atylosia 

 crassa., Prain, Nat. Ord. Leguminosoe. — 

 Hon. Ed.).— A jungle creeper which 

 produces a kind of bean which is boiled 

 and eaten as a vegetable. 



63. Phal Bed ( Calamus tenuis, Roxb. , 

 Nat. Ord. Palmoe.)— The common cane 

 found in swampy jungles. The fruit 

 which appears about December or 

 January is eaten uncooked. [Many 

 Calami (we-wel, narawel, kukulu-wel, 

 mave-wel, tambotu-wel) in Ceylon.] 



64. Malkangani (Celastrus panicu- 

 latus, Willd., Nat. Ord. Celastrineae).— 

 A jungle creeper. Fruits about July, 

 and ripens in September. When unripe 

 the fruit is boiled and eaten as a 

 vegetable. When ripe the seed is used 

 medicinally. [Duhudu, common in the 

 lowcountry.] 



65. Khekshi.— A jungle creeper. The 

 fruit when unripe is boiled and eaten as 

 a vegetable. It is useless when ripe. 

 Fruits about July and August, and 

 ripens in September. Considered most 

 edible. 



66. Amirti.— A jungle creeper. The 

 fruit when unripe is boiled and eaten as 

 a vegetable. When ripe is useless. 

 Fruits in July and August and considered 

 most edible. 



67. Kundaru.— A junglecreeper which 

 is also cultivated. The fruit is boiled 

 and eaten as a vegetable. Fruits all the 

 year round. 



