OF SCARCITY IN THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. igi 
COMMEOIACE^. 
Commelina nudlflora^ Linn. Kena (Poona and Ahmednagar 
Districts), Leaves boiled and mixed with salt and chillies ” 
Cominelina benglialensis, Linn. Kena (Nasik and Ahmed- 
nagar Districts). Bokna (Ranch Mahals). “ By threshing 
the creeping branches a black seed as large as Vari (millet) 
obtained and this is used for making bread after being 
converted into flour/' The leaves are boiled with water 
and mixed with salt and chillies, if available, and are used 
as vegetables constituting the principal part of the poor 
people's meal/' 
Commelina obliqua, Ham. Kena (Sangamner, Ahmednagar) 
Keni (Pimpalner, Khandesh). Gawati kena (Walha 
Parincha Road, Poona). Leaves and seeds eaten, 
Cyanotis tiiberosa, Schultes, Ichaka (Walha Parincha Road, 
Poona). No information received regarding parts used. 
Cyanotis axillaris, Roem. & Scb. Vichaka (Nasik and Ahmed- 
nagar Districts). Narido (Wagra, Broach). Damro 
(Ahraedabad). Seeds used. It thrives on light mu rum 
soil and on lands lying fallow for a considerable time. 
It grows with grass at the commencement of the 
monsoon and is ripe in the month of November. The 
plants are pulled up and then they are threshed with 
a flail in order to separate the grains from the husk. It 
requires to be ground twice and is then made into bread. 
Sometimes, it is prepared as Kanja (boiled seeds) -which 
is not fully . ground. It is sweet to the taste when 
mixed with Jowari, Without the mixture it has no good 
taste. It keeps off hunger and does not deteriorate health 
but, on the contrary, it helps towards improving the health 
of those, if reduced, on account of starvation/' ** The 
seeds are ground and flour prepared. Bhadku is then 
prepared. Water is boiled with the flour and a little salt. 
This is called Bhadku when properly boiled," All these 
spider worts are well-known agricultural pests and towards 
November, fields especially on poor land, are gay every 
morning with the bright blue flowers. The seeds of 
Cyanotis axillaris seem to be used on a large scale, but 
there can be little of real nutriment in them. I have seen 
fields smothered with this plant, in a healthy state when 
