Edible Plant Species

Plantago coronopus Linn. Plantagineae. BUCKSHORN PLANTAIN. STAR-OF-THE-EARTH.
Mediterranean countries and Middle Europe.
The leaves are used in France as a salad. This species is mentioned as grown in gardens by Camerarius, 1586, and by many of the other botanists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; it is described by Ray in 1686 as cultivated in England and as not differing from the wild plant except in size and in the other accidents of culture. Townsend, 1726, says the seed is, now in all the Seedsmen's Bills, tho' it is seldom in the Gardens. It is described and figured by Vilmorin among French vegetables. During the three hundred years in which we find it pictured, we see no evidence of any essential changes produced by cultivation.

P. major Linn. CART-TRACK PLANT. PLANTAIN.
Europe, Asia and North America.
In China, this plant was formerly eaten as a potherb.

P. maritima Linn. SEASIDE PLANTAIN.
Shores of Europe and of the United States from New Jersey northward.
Kalm says the French boil its leaves in a broth on their sea voyages, or eat them as a salad. It may likewise be pickled like samphire.

Platonia insignis Mart. Guittiferae.
Brazil.
The fruit, called pacoury-uva in Brazil, is said to be very sweet and delicious, whilst the seeds have the flavor of almonds.

Platycrater arguta Sieb. & Zucc. Saxifrageae (Hydrangeaceae). TEA-OF-HEAVEN.
Japan.
In Japan, the leaves are used as a tea substitute.

Plectranthus tematus Sims. Labiatae.
Comoro Islands and Madagascar.
This perennial plant was carried to the Mauritius and is there cultivated as a potherb. It is called in Madagascar omime.

Plectronia (Canthium) parvifolia Benth. & Hook. f. Rubiaceae.
Burma and Malay.
The leaves of this thorny shrub are largely consumed by the natives in their curries. The pulp enclosing the seeds is eaten by the natives but, to the European taste, is not very palatable. In India, says Ainslie, the fruit is eaten by the natives, and the leaves are also used as food, being put in curries as seasoners.

Plegerina odorata Arruda. (Chrysobalanaceae)
Brazil.
This plant produces an oval or oblong drupe, very little smaller than an egg, yellow at ripening, the kernel of which is covered with a sweet, aromatic and nutritious pulp.

P. rufa Arruda.
Brazil.
The fruit is an irregular drupe, of which the kernel is covered with a sweet fecula, somewhat aromatic, pleasant and nutritive. It is large enough to satisfy one person. It is sold in the markets of Brazil and by some inhabitants it is now cultivated.

P. umbrosissima Arruda.
Brazil.
The sweet fruit is sold in the markets of Pemambuco.

Plukenetia comiculata Sm. Euphorbiaceae.
East Indies and Malay.
The leaves are said to be eaten as a vegetable.