Edible Plant Species

Geitonoplesium (Luzuriaga) cymosum A. Cunn. Liliaceae (Philesiaceae). SHEPHERD'S JOY.
Islands of the Pacific and east Australia.
The young shoots offer a fine substitute for asparagus, according to Mueller.

Gelidium comeum Lam. Algae. KANTEEN.
This seaweed occurs almost everywhere.
In Japan, kanteen, or vegetable isinglass, is prepared from it, which is eaten. The cleansed plant is boiled in water, the solution is strained and allowed to set to a jelly in wooden boxes. The jelly is cut into long prisms, frozen and then allowed to thaw in the sun. The water runs away as the thawing proceeds, leaving a white skeleton of kanteen. One part will make a firm jelly with 150 parts of water.

Genipa americana Linn. Rubiaceae. GENIPAP. MARMALADE BOX.
South America.
This plant is cultivated in Brazil, Guiana and other tropical countries for its large, greenish-white, edible fruit. The fruit is as large as an orange and has an agreeable flavor. In Surinam, it is called marmalade box.

Genista tinctoria Linn. Leguminosae. DYER'S-BROOM. WOODWAXEN.
Europe in the region of the Caucasus.
The buds are pickled and used in sauces as a caper substitute.

Gentiana campestris Linn. Gentianeae. GENTIAN.
Europe.
Linnaeus says the poorer people of Sweden use this species as a hop to brew with their ale.

G. lutea Linn. YELLOW GENTIAN.
Europe and Asia Minor.
The root contains sugar and mucilage, and in Switzerland an esteemed liquor is prepared from it. It is an inmate of the flower garden in France.

Geoffraea superba Humb. & Bonpl. Leguminosae. ALMENDOR.
South America.
Gardner says this plant produces a fleshy drupe about the size of a walnut which is called umari by the Indians. In almost every house, whether Indian or Brazilian, he observed a large pot of this fruit being prepared. The taste of the kernel is not unlike that of boiled beans. It is the almandora of the Amazon.

Geranium dissectum Linn. Geraniaceae. AUSTRALIAN GERANIUM. NATIVE CARROT.
Europe, northern Asia and Australia.
In Tasmania, the roots, called native carrots, are used as food. Drummond saw a species in Swan River Colony, the perennial root shaped like a carrot, which was eaten by the natives.

Geum rivale Linn. Rosaceae. INDIAN CHOCOLATE. PURPLE AVENS. WATER AVENS.
Northern temperate regions.
Johnson says this plant was often used in olden times to flavor ale and other liquors.

G. urbanum Linn. AVENS. CLOVE-ROOT. HERB BENNETT.
Northern temperate regions, Australia and New Zealand.
The root, according to Lindley, is used as an ingredient in some ales.