Mouriri-Murraya (Sturtevant, 1919)

Melastomaceae. SILVERWOOD.

Brazil. Gardner says the fruit of this Brazilian tree is about the size of a small plum, black in color and resembles much in taste the fruit of Eugenia cauliflora. In the province of Ceara, this fruit is much esteemed and is carried through the streets for sale by the Indians. It is called pusa.

Martinique. The fruit is regularly sold in the markets at St. Vincent, but no high value is set upon it, owing to the very small quantity of sweet pulp which tenaciously adheres to the seeds. The outer portion of the fruit is not pleasant to the taste, but the seed has the flavor of filberts.

Leguminosae.

Malay Archipelago and the Himalayas. This species, according to Elliott, is cultivated in native gardens in India and even among some of the Hill Tribes.

This species is cultivated in Cochin China for its legumes which are served and eaten as we do string beans.

COWITCH.

East Indies. The beans are eaten by the natives and are esteemed as both palatable and wholesome.

NEGRO BEAN.

East Indies. This is a favorite vegetable with Brahmins.

Bengal and Burma. This species is cultivated by the natives in India. Roxburgh says that, by removing the velvety skin of the large, fleshy, tender pods, they are a most excellent vegetable for the table, and the full-grown beans are scarcely inferior to the large garden beans of Europe. Drury reaffirms this opinion.

COWITCH. COWHAGE.

Tropical Africa. The cowitch, or cowhage, has, says Livingstone, a velvety covering to its pods of minute prickles, which, if touched, enter the pores of the skin and cause a painful tingling. The women, in times of scarcity, collect the pods, kindle a fire of grass over them to destroy the prickles, then soak the beans until they begin to sprout, wash them in pure water and either boil them or pound them into meal. Its name on the Zambezi is kitedzi.

HORSE-EYE BEAN.

In Jamaica, the legume is said by Plumier to have been eaten by the Caribs but Lunan says it is poisonous.

Tiliaceae. CALABUR.

West Indies. This is the guasem of Jamaica. An infusion of the leaves is used in the Caracas as a tea.

Rutaceae. CHINESE BOX.

Asia and Australian tropics. The fruit is red and edible.

CURRY-LEAF TREE.

A tree of tropical Hindustan, cultivated for its leaves, which are used to flavor curries. The leaves are aromatic and fragrant and, with the root and bark, are used medicinally. From the seeds, a medicinal oil called zimbolee oil is extracted.

Java. The fruit is edible.