WILD EATABLE ROOTS. — THE TAMA. 
589 
where to be found. The berries of the moreekwo bush, are of an 
agreeably sharp flavour. 
Among their various eatable wild roots *, the most remarkable 
is the Tdma^ on account both of its enormous size, and of its being 
the only species of Bauhinia f hitherto discovered in Southern 
Africa. The plant consists of several long slender branches spread- 
ing on the ground to the distance of six or ten feet, furnished with 
round leaves which are nearly divided into two, and producing large 
yellow flowers, which are succeeded by a pod of considerable magni- 
tude, containing several brown seeds or beans. It grows only in sandy 
plains, where the root attains the size of a foot and a half in length, 
and half a foot in diameter. It is of a reddish color when dried, and in 
appearance not much unlike the water-yam; but is of a very astringent 
taste, which the natives correct by boiling in milk. The seeds also, 
* Of the mid roots which are more commonly eaten, a species of Gladiolus called 
littdn or lituing, and another of Babiana called lichiis, which is the general name for bulbs 
of these genera, are met with very frequently in the Great Plains of Litakun : and besides 
these, there are various other species of Ensatcc, which the natives dig up for the same 
purpose. They have all, when slightly roasted, a sweet and agreeable taste, much like 
that of chesnuts. 
Gladiolus edulis, B. Catal. Geogr. 2240. 
Bulbus oblongus. Scapus simplex 1 — l|-pedalis. Folia angustissima linearia glau- 
cescentia trinervia (nervis duobus marginalibus elevatis) scapo duplo triplove longiora. 
Floras dilute purpurascentes. Corollas laciniae, acuminatissimae apicibus contortis, obovatce ; 
quarum superior erecta, et reliquae 5 aequales patentes macula lanceolata saturate pur- 
purea medio flavido notatae. (Vide Bot. Reg. 169.) 
Babiana hypogea, B. Catal. Geogr. 224 1. 
Folia linearia angustissima, et etiam fere filiformia, (aliquando minus angusta) villosa 
scapo (2 — 3 plove) longiora (variat aliquando foliis glabris). Scapus subterraneus, ut 
quoque tubus corollse, et capsulte. Flores purpurei breviter pedunculati, laciniis coroUje 
mucronulatis. Spatha bi- vel potius tri-valvis, valvis 2 coadunatis ad apices vero discretis. 
Cyanella lineata, B. Catal. Geogr. 2256, 2. 
Scapus spicatus subramosus. Pedunculi elongati, basi bractea lanceolato-lineari 
sufFulti, medio aliam minorem gerentes. Petala ovato-lanceolata dilute rosea, nervis 
5 saturatioribus picta ; 3 superiora reflexa intermedio recurvo, infimo cymbiforme. Anthera 
inferior reliquis major. 
f Bauhinia esailenta, B. Catal. Geogr. 2414. 
Radix ingens (sesquipedalis) esculenta. Caules humifusi 6 — 10-pedales subramosi, 
cirrati. Folia nuda orbiculata integerrima, ad basin fere bipartita. Racemi laterales. 
Pedunculi elongati. Caules, folia nondum explicata, et calyx, rufo-pubescentia. Petala 
flava obcordata, et obovata. Germen pedicellatum. Semina magna subglobosa fusca glabra. 
