187 
{ Ipomea aquatica ,) a semi-aquatic convolvulus with white flowers, 
said to be a native of Arabia. It is cultivated either in water or 
in damp spots such as are suited for water-cress, and is propa- 
gated from cuttings. Kangkong is a very rapid grower, and 
gives a larger return of green stuff per acre, than any other vege- 
table, and is one of the most wholesome of all. The Chinese cul- 
tivate it to a large extent. 
Bayam. — A name given to several species of amaranthus used 
chiefly by natives as spinach. The best is said to be Amaran- 
thus spinosus — Bayam Duri. 
Bayam Kadong (A. gangeticus). — Is cultivated extensively by 
the Chinese, being raised from seed and planted in beds. When 
about a foot tall, it is pulled up and sold — a large bundle for a 
cent. It is then a large-leaved plant, very much suggesting 
spinach in form, but less compact. Boiled, it much resembles 
spinach in colour, and has a distinct spinach flavour, being less 
stringy and softer than Kangkong. 
Basella rubra and B. alba. — The red and white Malabar night- 
shades are creeping plants with fleshy red, or green stems and 
heart-shaped leaves, used as a spinach. They are grown from 
'cuttings or seeds, usually from the former here, and tlie leaves 
are the parts used as food. The red one is the more commonly 
cultivated here, and is an excellent vegetable, but hardly known 
to Europeans in Singapore, though it is an East Indian or Chinese 
plant and is well known in Southern Europe. It is so easily 
grown and so excellent, that it is worth more attention than is 
usually bestowed on it. 
Chekop Manis ( Sauropus albicans). — Isa small shrub, with 
green leaves blotched with white, which is very popular among 
natives as a spinach. The leaves when cooked are rather firm in 
texture and slightly acid, but make a fairly good spinach. It 
is grown readily from cuttings. 
Cosmos caudatus. — A herbaceous plant with finely-cut leaves 
and a head of flowers, pink, and yellow. It is often cultivated 
for the eatable leaves by natives, and for its flowers by Europeans. 
The leaves have rather a strong flavour and are not likely to find 
favour with most Europeans. 
Purslane ( Portulaca oleracea). — This common weed is culti- 
vated in Europe as a vegetable, and several varieties are known. 
It is a succulent, usually purplish herb with small yellow flowers 
and is very common in waste ground. It does not appear to be 
used here even by the natives, but it seems popular in Holland, 
as it is even preserved in tins. It can be raised from seed, and is 
cooked like spinach. 
Ferns. — Several ferns are eaten by the natives and sometimes 
by Europeans. They are not cultivated, but the young fronds 
are collected and boiled like spinach. Among the most popular 
are Anisogonium esculentum , Paku Benar, Baku Tanjong (a very 
