CompleteGuideToEdibleWildPlants

TheDepartmentoftheArmy

Copyright©2009bySkyhorsePublishing,Inc.

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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData

Thecompleteguidetoediblewildplants/DepartmentoftheArmy.p.cm.

9781602396920

1.Wildplants,Edible--Handbooks,manuals,etc.I.UnitedStates.Dept.oftheArmy.

QK98.5.A1C662009

581.6’32--dc22

2009006542

Poisonousplantssometimesresembleedibleplants,andtheyfrequentlygrowsidebyside.Itisthereader’sresponsibilitytoproperlyidentifyandcorrectlyusetheedibleplantsdescribedinthisbook.

Informationaboutthemedicinalusesofplantshereinisforeducationalpurposesonly.Thisbookisnotintendedasasubstituteforconsultationwithalicensedphysicianwhentreatingillness.Theauthorsandpublisherassumenoresponsibilityforproblemsarisingfromtheuseormisuseofanyplantsdescibedinthisbook.

PrintedinChina

TableofContents

TitlePageCopyrightPageintroductionEDIBILITYOFPLANTSPLANTSFORMEDICINEEDIBLEANDMEDICINALPLANTSPOISONOUSPLANTS

introduction

Whetheryouareastrandedsoldier,awildernesshiker,oryoujustwanttoknowwhich plants growing in your backyard are edible, The Complete Guide toEdibleWildPlantswillbeaninvaluableresource.

Naturecanprovideyouwithhealthyfoodtogetyouthroughanysituation,aslong as you don’t eat the wrong plant.You must therefore learn as much aspossiblebeforehandaboutthefloraoftheregionwhereyouwillbeoperating.Itis also helpful to familiarize yourself with the plant characteristics that makeeachspeciesunique,suchasleafshape,leafarrangement,androotstructure.Themoreyouunderstandaboutplants, the easier itwillbe foryou todifferentiatebetweenedibleandpoisonousvarieties.

EDIBILITYOFPLANTS

Plants are valuable sources of food because they are widely available, easilyprocured,and,inthepropercombinations,canmeetallyournutritionalneeds.

Absolutely identify plants before using them as food. Poison hemlock haskilledpeoplewhomistookitforitsrelatives,wildcarrotsandwildparsnips.

Attimesyoumayfindyourselfinasituationforwhichyoucouldnotplan.Inthisinstanceyoumaynothavehadthechancetolearntheplantlifeoftheregioninwhichyoumustsurvive.InthiscaseyoucanusetheUniversalEdibilityTesttodeterminewhichplantsyoucaneatandthosetoavoid.

Itisimportanttobeabletorecognizebothcultivatedandwildedibleplantsinasurvivalsituation.Mostof the informationin thischapter isdirectedtowardsidentifyingwildplantsbecauseinformationrelatingtocultivatedplantsismorereadilyavailable.

WARNING

The critical factor in using plants for food is to avoid accidentalpoisoning.Eatonlythoseplantsyoucanpositivelyidentifyandyouknowaresafetoeat.

Rememberthefollowingwhencollectingwildplantsforfood:Plantsgrowingnearhomesandoccupiedbuildingsoralongroadsidesmayhavebeensprayedwithpesticides.Washthemthoroughly.Inmorehighlydeveloped countries with many automobiles, avoid roadside plants, if

possible,duetocontaminationfromexhaustemissions.Plants growing in contaminated water or in water containing Giardialambliaandotherparasitesarecontaminated themselves.Boilordisinfectthem.Some plants develop extremely dangerous fungal toxins. To lessen thechanceofaccidentalpoisoning,donoteatanyfruitthatisstartingtospoilorshowingsignsofmildeworfungus.Plantsofthesamespeciesmaydifferintheirtoxicorsubtoxiccompoundscontentbecauseofgeneticorenvironmentalfactors.Oneexampleofthisisthe foliage of the common chokecherry. Some chokecherry plants havehigh concentrations of deadly cyanide compoundswhile others have lowconcentrations or none. Horses have died from eatingwiltedwild cherryleaves. Avoid any weed, leaves, or seeds with an almondlike scent, acharacteristicofthecyanidecompounds.Some people are more susceptible to gastric distress (from plants) thanothers.Ifyouaresensitiveinthisway,avoidunknownwildplants.Ifyouare extremely sensitive to poison ivy, avoid products from this family,includinganypartsfromsumacs,mangoes,andcashews.Someediblewildplants,suchasacornsandwaterlilyrhizomes,arebitter.Thesebittersubstances,usuallytannincompounds,makethemunpalatable.Boiling them in several changesofwaterwillusually remove thesebitterproperties.Manyvaluablewildplantshavehighconcentrationsofoxalatecompounds,alsoknownasoxalic acid.Oxalatesproducea sharpburning sensation inyourmouthandthroatanddamagethekidneys.Baking,roasting,ordryingusuallydestroystheseoxalatecrystals.Thecorm(bulb)ofthejack-in-the-pulpit is known as the “Indian turnip,” but you can eat it only afterremovingthesecrystalsbyslowbakingorbydrying.

WARNING

Donoteatmushroomsinasurvivalsituation!Theonlywaytotellif

amushroomisedibleisbypositiveidentification.Thereisnoroomfor experimentation. Symptomsof themost dangerousmushroomsaffectingthecentralnervoussystemmayshowupafterseveraldayshavepassedwhenitistoolatetoreversetheireffects.

PlantIdentificationYou identify plants, other than by memorizing particular varieties through

familiarity,byusing such factors as leaf shapeandmargin, leaf arrangements,androotstructure.

The basic leaf margins (Figure 1.1) are toothed, lobed, and toothless orsmooth.

Figure1.1Leafmargins.

These leaves may be lance-shaped, elliptical, egg-shaped, oblong,wedgeshaped,triangular,long-pointed,ortop-shaped(Figure1.2).

Figure1.2Leafshapes.

The basic types of leaf arrangements (Figure 1.3) are opposite, alternate,compound,simple,andbasalrosette.

Figure1.3Leafarrangements.

The basic types of root structures (Figure 1.4) are the bulb, clove, taproot,tuber,rhizome,corm,andcrown.Bulbsarefamiliar tousasonionsand,whensliced in half,will show concentric rings.Cloves are those bulblike structuresthatremindusofgarlicandwillseparate intosmallpieceswhenbrokenapart.This characteristic separates wild onions from wild garlic. Taproots resemblecarrots andmaybe single-rootedorbranched,butusuallyonlyoneplant stalkarises fromeach root.Tubers are likepotatoes anddaylilies andyouwill findthese structures either on strings or in clusters underneath the parent plants.Rhizomes are large creeping rootstock or underground stems andmany plantsarise from the “eyes” of these roots. Corms are similar to bulbs but are solidwhen cut rather than possessing rings. A crown is the type of root structurefound on plants such as asparagus and looksmuch like amophead under thesoil’ssurface.

Learnasmuchaspossibleaboutplantsyou intend touse for foodand theiruniquecharacteristics.Someplantshavebothedibleandpoisonousparts.Manyareedibleonlyatcertaintimesoftheyear.Othersmayhavepoisonousrelatives

thatlookverysimilartotheonesyoucaneatoruseformedicine.

Figure1.4Rootstructures.

UniversalEdibilityTestThere aremany plants throughout theworld. Tasting or swallowing even a

smallportionof somecancauseseverediscomfort, extreme internaldisorders,and even death. Therefore, if you have the slightest doubt about a plant’sedibility, apply the Universal Edibility Test (Figure 1.5) before eating anyportionofit.

Beforetestingaplantforedibility,makesurethereareenoughplantstomakethe testing worth your time and effort. Each part of a plant (roots, leaves,flowers, and so on) requires more than 24 hours to test. Do not waste timetestingaplantthatisnotrelativelyabundantinthearea.

Remember, eating large portions of plant food on an empty stomach may

causediarrhea,nausea,orcramps.Twogoodexamplesofthisaresuchfamiliarfoodsasgreenapplesandwildonions.Evenaftertestingplantfoodandfindingitsafe,eatitinmoderation.

Figure1.5UniversalEdibilitytest.

Youcanseefromthestepsandtimeinvolvedintestingforedibilityjusthowimportantitistobeabletoidentifyedibleplants.

Toavoidpotentiallypoisonousplants,stayawayfromanywildorunknownplantsthathave:

Milkyordiscoloredsap.Beans,bulbs,orseedsinsidepods.Bitterorsoapytaste.Spines,finehairs,orthorns.Dill,carrot,parsnip,orparsleylikefoliage.“Almond”scentinwoodypartsandleaves.Grainheadswithpink,purplish,orblackspurs.Three-leavedgrowthpattern.

UsingtheabovecriteriaaseliminatorswhenchoosingplantsfortheUniversalEdibilityTestwillcauseyoutoavoidsomeedibleplants.Moreimportant,thesecriteriawilloftenhelpyouavoidplantsthatarepotentiallytoxictoeatortouch.

Anentireencyclopediaofediblewildplantscouldbewritten,butspacelimitsthenumberofplantspresentedhere.Learnasmuchaspossibleabouttheplantlifeoftheareaswhereyoutrainregularlyandwhereyouexpecttobetravelingorworking.Listedbelowandlaterinthischapteraresomeofthemostcommonedibleandmedicinalplants.DetaileddescriptionsandphotographsoftheseandothercommonplantsareatEdibleandMedicinalPlants.

TemperateZoneFoodPlants

Amaranth(Amaranthusretroflexusandotherspecies)

Chicory(Cichoriumintybus)

Arrowroot(Sagittariaspecies) Chufa(Cyperusesculentus)

Asparagus(Asparagusofficinalis) Dandelion(Taraxacumofficinale)

Beechnut(Fagusspecies) Daylily(Hemerocallisfulva)

Blackberries(Rubusspecies) Nettle(Urticaspecies)

Blueberries(Vacciniumspecies) Oaks(Quercusspecies)

Burdock(Arctiumlappa) Persimmon(Diospyrosvirginiana)

Cattail(Typhaspecies) Plantain(Plantagospecies)

Chestnut(Castaneaspecies) Pokeweed(Phytolaccaamericana)

Pricklypearcactus(Opuntiaspecies)

Thistle(Cirsiumspecies)

Purslane(Portulacaoleracea)

Waterlilyandlotus(Nuphar,Nelumbo,andotherspecies)

Sassafras(Sassafrasalbidum)

Wildonionandgarlic(Alliumspecies)

Sheepsorrel(Rumexacetosella)

Wildrose(Rosaspecies)

Strawberries(Fragariaspecies)

Woodsorrel(Oxalisspecies)

TropicalZoneFoodPlants

Bamboo(Bambusaandotherspecies) Mango(Mangiferaindica)

Bananas(Musaspecies) Palms(variousspecies)

Breadfruit(Artocarpusincisa) Papaya(Caricaspecies)

Cashewnut(Anacardiumoccidental) Sugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)

Coconut(Cocosnucifera) Taro(Colocasiaspecies)

DesertZoneFoodPlants

Acacia(Acaciafarnesiana)

Agave(Agavespecies)

Cactus(variousspecies)

Datepalm(Phoenixdactylifera)

Desertamaranth(Amaranthspalmeri)*

SeaweedsOneplantyoushouldneveroverlookisseaweed.Itisaformofmarinealgae

foundonornearoceanshores.Therearealsosomeediblefreshwatervarieties.Seaweed is a valuable source of iodine, otherminerals, and vitaminC. Largequantitiesofseaweedinanunaccustomedstomachcanproduceaseverelaxativeeffect.

When gathering seaweeds for food, find living plants attached to rocks orfloating free. Seaweedwashed onshore any length of timemay be spoiled ordecayed.Youcandryfreshlyharvestedseaweedsforlateruse.

Its preparation for eating depends on the type of seaweed.You can dry thinandtendervarietiesinthesunoroverafireuntilcrisp.Crushandaddthesetosoupsorbroths.Boil thick, leathery seaweeds for a short time to soften them.Eatthemasavegetableorwithotherfoods.Youcaneatsomevarietiesrawaftertestingforedibility.

Dulse(Rhodymeniapalmata)

Greenseaweed(Ulvalactuca)

Irishmoss(Chondruscrispus)

Kelp(Alariaesculenta)

Laver(Porphyraspecies)

Mojaban(Sargassumfulvellum)

Sugarwrack(Laminariasaccharina)

PreparationofPlantFoodAlthoughsomeplantsorplantpartsareedibleraw,youmustcookothers to

beedibleorpalatable.Ediblemeansthataplantorfoodwillprovideyouwithnecessary nutrients, while palatable means that it actually is pleasing to eat.Manywild plants are edible but barely palatable. It is a good idea to learn toidentify,prepare,andeatwildfoods.

Methods used to improve the taste of plant food include soaking, boiling,cooking, or leaching. Leaching is done by crushing the food (for example,acorns), placing it in a strainer, and pouring boiling water through it orimmersingitinrunningwater.

Boilleaves,stems,andbudsuntiltender,changingthewater,ifnecessary,toremoveanybitterness.

Boil,bake,orroasttubersandroots.DryinghelpstoremovecausticoxalatesfromsomerootslikethoseintheArumfamily.

Leachacornsinwater,ifnecessary,toremovethebitterness.Somenuts,such

aschestnuts,aregoodraw,buttastebetterroasted.

Youcaneatmanygrainsandseedsrawuntiltheymature.Whenhardordry,youmayhavetoboilorgrindthemintomealorflour.

The sap frommany trees, such asmaples, birches,walnuts, and sycamores,containssugar.Youmayboilthesesapsdowntoasyrupforsweetening.Ittakesabout40gallonsofmaplesaptomakeonegallonofmaplesyrup!

PLANTSFORMEDICINE

Inasurvivalsituationyouwillhavetousewhatisavailable.Inusingplantsandothernaturalremedies,positiveidentificationoftheplantsinvolvedisascriticalasinusingthemforfood.Properuseoftheseplantsisequallyimportant.

TermsandDefinitionsThefollowingterms,andtheirdefinitions,areassociatedwithmedicinalplant

use:Poultice.Thenamegiven to crushed leavesor other plant parts, possiblyheated,thatyouapplytoawoundorsoreeitherdirectlyorwrappedinclothorpaper.Infusionortisaneortea.Thepreparationofmedicinalherbsforinternalorexternal application.You place a small quantity of a herb in a container,pourhotwateroverit,andletitsteep(coveredoruncovered)beforeuse.Decoction.Theextractofaboileddownorsimmeredherbleaforroot.Youaddherbleaforroottowater.Youbringthemtoasustainedboilorsimmertodrawtheirchemicalsintothewater.Theaverageratioisabout28to56grams(1to2ounces)ofherbto.5literofwater.Expressed juice. Liquids or saps squeezed fromplantmaterial and eitherappliedtothewoundormadeintoanothermedicine.

Manynaturalremediesworkslowerthanthemedicinesyouknow.Therefore,startwithsmallerdosesandallowmoretimeforthemtotakeeffect.Naturally,somewillactmorerapidlythanothers.

SpecificRemediesThefollowingremediesareforuseonlyinasurvivalsituation,notforroutine

use:Diarrhea.Drinkteamadefromtherootsofblackberriesandtheirrelativestostopdiarrhea.Whiteoakbarkandotherbarkscontainingtanninarealsoeffective.However, use themwith cautionwhennothing else is availablebecause of possible negative effects on the kidneys. You can also stop

diarrheabyeatingwhiteclayorcampfireashes.Teamadefromcowberryorcranberryorhazelleavesworkstoo.Antihemorrhagics.Makemedications to stop bleeding from a poultice ofthepuffballmushroom,fromplantain leaves,ormosteffectivelyfromtheleavesofthecommonyarroworwoundwort(Achilleamillefolium).Antiseptics.Use to cleansewounds, sores, or rashes.You canmake themfromtheexpressedjuicefromwildonionorgarlic,orexpressedjuicefromchickweed leaves or the crushed leaves of dock.You can also makeantiseptics from a decoction of burdock root, mallow leaves or roots, orwhiteoakbark.Allthesemedicationsareforexternaluseonly.Fevers.Treatafeverwithateamadefromwillowbark,aninfusionofelderflowersorfruit,lindenflowertea,orelmbarkdecoction.Colds and sore throats. Treat these illnesseswith a decoctionmade fromeither plantain leaves or willow bark.You can also use a tea made fromburdockroots,mallowormulleinflowersorroots,ormintleaves.Aches,pains,andsprains.Treatwithexternallyappliedpoulticesofdock,plantain,chickweed,willowbark,garlic,orsorrel.Youcanalsousesalvesmade by mixing the expressed juices of these plants in animal fat orvegetableoils.Itching. Relieve the itch from insect bites, sunburn, or plant poisoningrashes by applying a poultice of jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) or witchhazel leaves(Hamamelisvirginiana).Thejewelweedjuicewillhelpwhenappliedtopoisonivyrashesorinsectstings.Itworksonsunburnaswellasaloevera.Sedatives. Get help in falling asleep by brewing a tea made from mintleavesorpassionflowerleaves.Hemorrhoids.Treat themwithexternalwashesfromelmbarkoroakbarktea,fromtheexpressedjuiceofplantain leaves,orfromaSolomon’ssealrootdecoction.Constipation.Relieve constipation by drinking decoctions fromdandelionleaves,rosehips,orwalnutbark.Eatingrawdaylilyflowerswillalsohelp.Wormsorintestinalparasites.Usingmoderation,treatwithteamadefromtansy(Tanacetumvulgare)orfromwildcarrotleaves.Gasandcramps.Useateamadefromcarrotseedsasanantiflatulent;useteamadefrommintleavestosettlethestomach.Antifungal washes. Make a decoction of walnut leaves or oak bark oracorns to treat ringworm and athlete’s foot. Apply frequently to the site,alternatingwithexposuretodirectsunlight.

MiscellaneousUsesOfPlantsMakedyesfromvariousplantstocolorclothingortocamouflageyourskin.

Usually, you will have to boil the plants to get the best results. Onion skinsproduceyellow,walnuthullsproducebrown,andpokeberriesprovideapurpledye.

Make fibers and cordage from plant fibers. Most commonly used are thestemsfromnettlesandmilkweeds,yuccaplants,andtheinnerbarkoftreeslikethelinden.

Make fishpoisonby immersingwalnuthulls in a small areaofquietwater.This poisonmakes it impossible for the fish to breathe but doesn’t adverselyaffecttheiredibility.

Maketinderforstartingfiresfromcattailfluff,cedarbark,lighterknotwoodfrompinetrees,orhardenedsapfromresinouswoodtrees.

Makeinsulationbyfluffingupfemalecattailheadsormilkweeddown.

Makeinsectrepellentsbyapplyingtheexpressedjuiceofwildgarlicoronionto the skin, by placing sassafras leaves in your shelter, or by burning orsmudgingcattailseedhairfibers.

Plantscanbeyourallyaslongasyouusethemcautiously.Thekeytothesafeuseofplantsispositiveidentificationwhetheryouusethemasfoodormedicineorinconstructingsheltersorequipment.

EDIBLEANDMEDICINALPLANTS

In a survival situation, plants can provide both food andmedicine. Their safeusagerequiresabsolutelypositive identification,knowinghowtoprepare themforeating,andknowinganydangerousproperties theymighthave.Familiaritywith botanical structures of plants and information on where they grow willmakethemeasiertolocateandidentify.

AbalCalligonumcomosumDescription:Theabalisoneofthefewshrubbyplantsthatexistsintheshadydeserts.Thisplantgrows toabout1.2meters,and itsbranches look likewispsfromabroom.Thestiff,greenbranchesproduceanabundanceofflowersintheearlyspringmonths(March,April).

HabitatandDistribution:Thisplantisfoundindesertscrubandwasteinanyclimaticzone.ItinhabitsmuchoftheNorthAfricandesert.Itmayalsobefoundon the desert sands of theMiddle East and as far eastward as the RajputanadesertofwesternIndia.

EdibleParts:Thisplant’sgeneralappearancewouldnotindicateitsusefulnesstothesurvivor,butwhilethisplant isfloweringinthespring, itsfreshflowerscanbeeaten.Thisplantiscommonintheareaswhereitisfound.Ananalysisofthe food value of this plant has shown it to be high in sugar and nitrogenouscomponents.

AcaciaAcaciafarnesianaDescription:Acaciaisaspreading,usuallyshorttreewithspinesandalternatecompound leaves. Its individual leaflets are small. Its flowers are ballshaped,bright yellow, and very fragrant. Its bark is awhitish-gray color. Its fruits aredarkbrownandpodlike.

Habitat and Distribution: Acacia grows in open, sunny areas. It is foundthroughoutalltropicalregions.

Note: There are about 500 species of acacia. These plants areespecially prevalent in Africa, southern Asia, and Australia, butmanyspeciesarefoundinthewarmeranddrierpartsofAmerica.

EdibleParts:Itsyoungleaves,flowers,andpodsareedibleraworcooked.

AgaveAgavespecies

Description:Theseplantshavelargeclustersofthick,fleshyleavesborneclosetothegroundandsurroundingacentralstalk.Theplantsfloweronlyonce,thendie.Theyproduceamassiveflowerstalk.

Habitat and Distribution: Agaves prefer dry, open areas. They are foundthroughoutCentralAmerica, theCaribbean,andpartsof thewesterndesertsoftheUnitedStatesandMexico.

EdibleParts:Itsflowersandflowerbudsareedible.Boilthembeforeeating.

CAUTION

Thejuiceofsomespeciescausesdermatitisinsomeindividuals.

OtherUses:Cutthehugeflowerstalkandcollectthejuicefordrinking.Somespecies have very fibrous leaves. Pound the leaves and remove the fibers forweavingandmakingropes.Mostspecieshavethick,sharpneedlesatthetipsofthe leaves. Use them for sewing or making hacks. The sap of some speciescontainsachemicalthatmakesthesapsuitableforuseasasoap.

AlmondPrunusamygdalusDescription: The almond tree, which sometimes grows to 12.2meters, lookslikeapeachtree.Thefreshalmondfruitresemblesagnarled,unripepeachandgrows in clusters. The stone (the almond itself) is covered with a thick, dry,woollyskin.

HabitatandDistribution:Almondsarefoundinthescrubandthornforestsofthe tropics, the evergreen scrub forests of temperate areas, and indesert scrubandwasteinallclimaticzones.ThealmondtreeisalsofoundinthesemidesertareasoftheOldWorldinsouthernEurope,theeasternMediterranean,Iran,theMiddleEast,China,Madeira,theAzores,andtheCanaryIslands.

Edible Parts: Themature almond fruit splits open lengthwise down the side,exposing the ripe almond nut. You can easily get the dry kernel by simplycracking open the stone. Almond meats are rich in food value, like all nuts.Gather theminlargequantitiesandshell themforfurtheruseassurvivalfood.Youcould livesolelyonalmondsforrather longperiods.Whenyouboil them,thekernel’soutercoveringcomesoffandonlythewhitemeatremains.

AmaranthAmaranthusspeciesDescription:Theseplants,whichgrow90centimeters to150centimeters tall,are abundant weeds in many parts of the world. All amaranth have alternatesimple leaves.Theymayhavesomeredcolorpresenton thestems.Theybearminute,greenish flowers indenseclusters at the topof theplants.Their seedsmaybebrownorblackinweedyspeciesandlight-coloredindomesticspecies.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for amaranth along roadsides, in disturbedwasteareas,orasweedsincropsthroughouttheworld.Someamaranthspecieshavebeengrownasagraincropandagardenvegetableinvariouspartsoftheworld,especiallyinSouthAmerica.

EdibleParts:Allpartsareedible,butsomemayhavesharpspinesyoushould

removebeforeeating.Theyoungplantsorthegrowingtipsofalderplantsareanexcellentvegetable.Simplyboil theyoungplantsoreat themraw.Theirseedsareverynutritious.Shakethetopsofalderplantstogettheseeds.Eattheseedsraw,boiled,groundintoflour,orpoppedlikepopcorn.

ArcticwillowSalixarcticaDescription: The arcticl willow is a shrub that never exceeds more than 60centimetersinheightandgrowsinclumpsthatformdensematsonthetundra.

Habitat andDistribution: The arcticwillow is common on tundras inNorthAmerica.Europe,andAsia.Youcanalsofindit insomemountainousareasintemperateregions.

EdibleParts:Youcancollect thesucculent, tenderyoungshootsof thearcticwillow in early spring. Strip off the outer bark of the new shoots and eat theinnerportionraw.Youcanalsopeelandeatrawtheyoungundergroundshootsofanyofthevariouskindsofarcticwillow.YoungwillowleavesareoneoftherichestsourcesofvitaminC,containing7to10timesmorethananorange.

ArrowrootMarantaandSagittariaspeciesDescription: The arrowroot is an aquatic plant with arrow-shaped leaves andpotatoliketubersinthemud.

Habitat andDistribution: Arrowroot is foundworldwide in temperate zonesandthetropics.Itisfoundinmoisttowethabitats.

Edible Parts: The rootstock is a rich source of high quality starch. Boil therootstockandeatitasavegetable.

AsparagusAsparagusofficinalisDescription: The spring growth of this plant resembles a cluster of greenfingers.Thematureplanthasfernlike,wispyfoliageandredberries.Itsflowersaresmallandgreenishincolor.Severalspecieshavesharp,thornlikestructures.

Habitat andDistribution:Asparagus is foundworldwide in temperate areas.

Lookforitinfields,oldhomesites,andfencerows.

EdibleParts:Eat theyoungstemsbefore leavesform.Steamorboil themfor10 to 15minutes before eating.Rawasparagusmay cause nauseaor diarrhea.Thefleshyrootsareagoodsourceofstarch.

WARNING

Donoteatthefruitsofanyasparagussincesomearetoxic.

BaelfruitAeglemarmelosDescription:Thisisatreethatgrowsfrom2.4to4.6meterstall,withadense,spinygrowth.Thefruitis5to10centimetersindiameter,grayoryellowish,andfullofseeds.

HabitatandDistribution:Baelfruitisfoundinrainforestsandsemievergreenseasonalforestsofthetropics.ItgrowswildinIndiaandBurma.

Edible Parts: The fruit, which ripens in December, is at its best when justturning ripe. The juice of the ripe fruit, diluted with water andmixed with asmallamountoftamarindandsugarorhoney,issourbutrefreshing.Likeothercitrusfruits,itisrichinvitaminC.

BambooVarious species including Bambusa, Dendrocalamus,PhyllostachysDescription: Bamboos are woody grasses that grow up to 15meters tall.Theleavesaregrasslikeandthestemsarethefamiliarbamboousedinfurnitureandfishingpoles.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforbambooinwarm,moistregionsinopenorjunglecountry,inlowlands,oronmountains.Bamboosarenativetothefareast(TemperateandTropicalzones)buthavebeanwidelyplantedaroundtheworld.

EdibleParts:Theyoungshootsofalmostallspeciesareedibleraworcooked.Rawshootshavea slightlybitter taste that is removedbyboiling.Toprepare,remove the toughprotectivesheath that iscoatedwith tawnyor redhairs.Theseed grain of the flowering bamboo is also edible. Boil the seeds like rice orpulverizethem,mixwithwater,andmakeintocakes.

OtherUses:Usethematurebambootobuildstructuresortomakecontainers,ladles, spoons, and various other cooking utensils.Also use bamboo to maketools and weapons.You can make a strong bow by splitting the bamboo andputtingseveralpiecestogether.

CAUTION

Greenbamboomayexplodeinafire.Greenbamboohasaninternalmembrane you must remove before using it as a food or watercontainer.

BananaandplantainMusaspeciesDescription:Thesearetreelikeplantswithseverallargeleavesatthetop.Theirflowersareborneindensehangingclusters.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for bananas and plantains in open fields ormargins of forests where they are grown as a crop. They grow in the humidtropics.

Edible Parts: Their fruits are edible raw or cooked. They may be boiled orbaked.Youcanboil theirflowersandeatthemlikeavegetable.Youcancookandeattherootstocksandleafsheathsofmanyspecies.Thecenteror“heart”ortheplantisedibleyear-round,cookedorraw.

OtherUses: You can use the layers of the lower third of the plants to covercoalstoroastfood.Youcanalsousetheirstumpstogetwater.Youcanusetheirleavestowrapotherfoodsforcookingorstorage.

BaobabAdansoniadigitata

Description:Thebaobab treemaygrowashighas18metersandmayhaveatrunk9metersindiameter.Thetreehasshort,stubbybranchesandagray,thickbark.Itsleavesarecompoundandtheirsegmentsarearrangedlikethepalmofa

hand.Itsflowers,whicharewhiteandseveralcentimetersacross,hangfromthehigherbranches.Itsfruitisshapedlikeafootball,measuresupto45centimeterslong,andiscoveredwithshortdensehair.

Habitat and Distribution: These trees grow in savannas. They are found inAfrica,inpartsofAustralia,andontheislandofMadagascar.

EdibleParts:Youcanusetheyoungleavesasasoupvegetable.Thetenderrootof the young baobab tree is edible. The pulp and seeds of the fruit are alsoedible.Useonehandfulofpulptoaboutonecupofwaterforarefreshingdrink.Toobtainflour,roasttheseeds,thengrindthem.

OtherUses:Drinkingamixtureofpulpandwaterwillhelpcurediarrhea.Oftenthehollowtrunksaregoodsourcesoffreshwater.Thebarkcanbecutintostripsandpoundedtoobtainastrongfiberformakingrope.

BatokoplumFlacourtiainermisDescription:Thisshruborsmalltreehasdarkgreen,alternate,simpleleaves.Itsfruitsarebrightredandcontainsixormoreseeds.

HabitatandDistribution:ThisplantisanativeofthePhilippinesbutiswidelycultivatedforitsfruitinotherareas.ItcanbefoundinclearingsandattheedgesofthetropicalrainforestsofAfricaandAsia.

EdibleParts:Eatthefruitraworcooked.

BearberryorkinnikinnickArctostaphylosuvaursi

Description:Thisplant isacommonevergreenshrubwith reddish, scalybarkandthick,leatheryleaves4centimeterslongand1centimeterwide.Ithaswhiteflowersandbrightredfruits.

HabitatandDistribution:Thisplantisfoundinarctic,subarctic,andtemperateregions,mostofteninsandyorrockysoil.

EdibleParts:Itsberriesareedibleraworcooked.Youcanmakearefreshingteafromitsyoungleaves.

BeechFagusspeciesDescription:Beechtreesarelarge(9to24meters),symmetricalforesttreesthathavesmooth, lightgraybarkanddarkgreenfoliage.Thecharacterof itsbark,plus its clusters of prickly seedpods, clearly distinguish the beech tree in thefield.

HabitatandDistribution:This tree is foundin theTemperateZone. Itgrows

wildintheeasternUnitedStates,Europe,Asia,andNorthAfrica.It isfoundinmoistareas,mainlyintheforests.ThistreeiscommonthroughoutsoutheasternEuropeandacrosstemperateAsia.BeechrelativesarealsofoundinChile,NewGuinea,andNewZealand.

EdibleParts:Thematurebeechnuts readily fall outof thehusklike seedpods.Youcaneatthesedarkbrowntriangularnutsbybreakingthethinshellwithyourfingernailandremovingthewhite,sweetkernelinside.Beechnutsareoneofthemostdeliciousofallwildnuts.Theyareamostusefulsurvivalfoodbecauseofthe kernel’s high oil content.You can also use the beechnuts as a coffeesubstitute.Roastthemsothatthekernelbecomesgoldenbrownandquitehard.Thenpulverizethekerneland,afterboilingorsteepinginhotwater,youhaveapassablecoffeesubstitute.

BignayAntidesmabunius

Description: Bignay is a shrub or small tree, 3 to 12meters tall, with shiny,pointed leaves about 15 centimeters long. Its flowers are small, clustered, andgreen.Ithasfleshy,darkredorblackfruitandasingleseed.Thefruitisabout1centimeterindiameter.

HabitatandDistribution:Thisplantisfoundinrainforestsandsemievergreenseasonal forests in the tropics. It is found in open places and in secondaryforests. It grows wild from the Himalayas to Ceylon and eastward throughIndonesia to northern Australia. However, it may be found anywhere in thetropicsincultivatedforms.

EdibleParts:Thefruitisedibleraw.Donoteatanyotherpartsofthetree.InAfrica,therootsaretoxic.Otherpartsoftheplantmaybepoisonous.

CAUTION

Eateninlargequantities,thefruitmayhavealaxativeeffect.

Blackberry,raspberry,anddewberryRubusspeciesDescription:Theseplantshavepricklystems(canes)thatgrowupward,archingback toward the ground. They have alternate, usually compound leaves. Theirfruitsmaybered,black,yellow,ororange.

HabitatandDistribution:Theseplantsgrowinopen,sunnyareasatthemarginofwoods,lakes,streams,androadsthroughouttemperateregions.Thereisalsoanarcticraspberry.

Edible Parts: The fruits and peeled young shoots are edible. Flavor variesgreatly.

OtherUses:Usetheleavestomaketea.Totreatdiarrhea,drinkateamadebybrewingthedriedrootbarkoftheblackberrybush.

BlueberryandhuckleberryVacciniumandGaylussaciaspeciesDescription:These shrubsvary in size from30centimeters to3.7meters tall.Allhavealternate,simpleleaves.Theirfruitsmaybedarkblue,black,orredandhavemanysmallseeds.

Habitat and Distribution: These plants prefer open, sunny areas. They arefoundthroughoutmuchof thenorthtemperateregionsandathigherelevationsinCentralAmerica.

EdibleParts:Theirfruitsareedibleraw.

BreadfruitArtocarpusincisaDescription:This treemaygrowup to9meters tall. Ithasdarkgreen,deeplydividedleavesthatare75centimeterslongand30centimeterswide.Itsfruitsarelarge,green,ball-likestructuresupto30centimetersacrosswhenmature.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for this tree at the margins of forests andhomesites in thehumid tropics. It isnative to theSouthPacific regionbuthasbeenwidelyplantedintheWestIndiesandpartsofPolynesia.

EdibleParts:The fruit pulp is edible raw.The fruit canbe sliced, dried, andgroundintoflourforlateruse.Theseedsareediblecooked.

OtherUses:Thethicksapcanserveasglueandcaulkingmaterial.Youcanalsouseitasbirdlime(toentrapsmallbirdsbysmearingthesapontwigswheretheyusuallyperch).

BurdockArctiumlappaDescription:Thisplanthaswavy-edged,arrow-shapedleavesandflowerheadsinburrlikeclusters.Itgrowsupto2meterstall,withpurpleorpinkflowersandalarge,fleshyroot.

HabitatandDistribution:BurdockisfoundworldwideintheNorthTemperateZone.Lookforitinopenwasteareasduringthespringandsummer.

Edible Parts: Peel the tender leaf stalks and eat them raw or cook them like

greens.Therootsarealsoedibleboiledorbaked.

CAUTION

Donotconfuseburdockwithrhubarbthathaspoisonousleaves.

OtherUses:A liquidmade from the rootswill help to produce sweating andincreaseurination.Dry the root, simmer it inwater, strain the liquid, and thendrinkthestrainedliquid.Usethefiberfromthedriedstalktoweavecordage.

BurlPalm

CoryphaelataDescription:This treemay reach18meters inheight. Ithas large, fan-shapedleaves up to 3meters long and split into about 100 narrow segments. It bearsflowersinhugedustersatthetopofthetree.Thetreediesafterflowering.

HabitatandDistribution:ThistreegrowsincoastalareasoftheEastIndies.

EdibleParts:The trunkcontainsstarch that isedible raw.Thevery tipof thetrunk is also edible raw or cooked.You can get large quantities of liquid bybruisingthefloweringstalk.Thekernelsofthenutsareedible.

CAUTION

Theseedcoveringmaycausedermatitisinsomeindividuals.

OtherUses:Youcanusetheleavesasweavingmaterial.

CannalilyCannaindicaDescription: The canna lily is a coarse perennial herb, 90 centimeters to 3meters tall.Theplantgrows froma large, thick,underground rootstock that isedible.Its largeleavesresemble thoseof thebananaplantbutarenotsolarge.The flowersofwildcanna lilyareusually small, relatively inconspicuous,andbrightlycoloredreds,oranges,oryellows.

HabitatandDistribution:Asawildplant,thecannalilyisfoundinalltropicalareas,especiallyinmoistplacesalongstreams,springs,ditches,andthemarginsofwoods.Itmayalsobefoundinwettemperate,mountainousregions.Itiseasytorecognizebecauseit iscommonlycultivatedinflowergardensintheUnitedStates.

EdibleParts:Thelargeandmuchbranchedrootstocksarefullofediblestarch.Theyoungerpartsmaybe finelychoppedand thenboiledorpulverized intoameal.Mixintheyoungshootsofpalmcabbageforflavoring.

CarobtreeCeratoniasiliquaDescription:Thislargetreehasaspreadingcrown.Itsleavesarecompoundandalternate. Its seedpods, also known as Saint John’s bread, are up to 45centimeterslongandarefilledwithround,hardseedsandathickpulp.

HabitatandDistribution:ThistreeisfoundthroughouttheMediterranean,theMiddleEast,andpartsofNorthAfrica.

Edible Parts: The young, tender pods are edible raw or boiled.You can

pulverizetheseedsinmaturepodsandcookasporridge.

CashewnutAnacardiumoccidentale

Description:Thecashewisaspreadingevergreentreegrowingtoaheightof12meters, with leaves up to 20 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide. Itsflowers are yellowish-pink. Its fruit is very easy to recognize because of itspeculiar structure.The fruit is thick andpear-shaped, pulpy and redor yellowwhenripe.Thisfruitbearsahard,green,kidney-shapednutatitstip.Thisnutissmooth,shiny,andgreenorbrownaccordingtoitsmaturity.

HabitatandDistribution:ThecashewisnativetotheWestIndiesandnorthernSouthAmerica,but transplantationhasspread it toall tropicalclimates. In theOldWorld, it has escaped from cultivation and appears to bewild at least inpartsofAfricaandIndia.

EdibleParts:Thenutenclosesoneseed.Theseedisediblewhenroasted.Thepear-shaped fruit is juicy, sweet-acid, and astringent. It is quite safe andconsidereddeliciousbymostpeoplewhoeatit.

CAUTION

The green hull surrounding the nut contains a resinous irritantpoison that will blister the lips and tongue like poison ivy. Heatdestroysthispoisonwhenroastingthenuts.

CattailTyphalatifoliaDescription: Cattails are grasslike plants with strap-shaped leaves 1 to 5centimeterswideandgrowingupto1.8meterstall.Themaleflowersareborneinadensemassabovethefemaleflowers.Theselastonlyashorttime,leavingthe female flowers that develop into the brown cattail. Pollen from the maleflowersisoftenabundantandbrightyellow.

Habitat and Distribution: Cattails are found throughout most of the world.Lookfor theminfullsunareasat themarginsof lakes,streams,canals,rivers,andbrackishwater.

EdibleParts:Theyoungtendershootsareedibleraworcooked.Therhizomeisoftenverytoughbutisarichsourceofstarch.Poundtherhizometoremovethestarch and use as a flour. The pollen is also an exceptional source of starch.Whenthecattailisimmatureandstillgreen,youcanboilthefemaleportionandeatitlikecornonthecob.

OtherUses:Thedried leavesareanexcellentsourceofweavingmaterialyoucanuse tomakefloatsandrafts.Thecottonyseedsmakegoodpillowstuffingand insulation. The fluff makes excellent tinder. Dried cattails are effectiveinsectrepellentswhenburned.

CereuscactusCereusspeciesDescription:These cacti are tall andnarrowwith angled stemsandnumerousspines.

Habitat andDistribution: Theymay be found in true deserts and other dry,open, sunny areas throughout the Caribbean region, Central America, and thewesternUnitedStates.

EdibleParts:Thefruitsareedible,butsomemayhavealaxativeeffect.

OtherUses:Thepulpof thecactus isagoodsourceofwater.Breakopen thestemandscoopoutthepulp.

ChestnutCastaneasativaDescription:TheEuropeanchestnut isusuallya large tree,up to18meters inheight.

HabitatandDistribution: In temperate regions, thechestnut is found inbothhardwood and coniferous forests. In the tropics, it is found in semievergreenseasonalforests.TheyarefoundoverallofmiddleandsouthEuropeandacrossmiddleAsiatoChinaandJapan.Theyarerelativelyabundantalongtheedgeofmeadowsandasaforesttree.TheEuropeanchestnutisoneofthemostcommonvarieties.WildchestnutsinAsiabelongtotherelatedchestnutspecies.

EdibleParts:Chestnutsarehighlyusefulassurvivalfood.Ripenutsareusuallypickedinautumn,althoughunripenutspickedwhilegreenmayalsobeusedfor

food.Perhapstheeasiestwaytopreparethemistoroasttheripenutsinembers.Cookedthisway,theyarequitetasty,andyoucaneatlargequantities.Anotherwayistoboilthekernelsafterremovingtheoutershell.Afterbeingboileduntilfairlysoft,youcanmashthenutslikepotatoes.

ChicoryCichoriumintybusDescription:Thisplantgrowsupto1.8meterstall.Ithasleavesclusteredatthebaseofthestemandsomeleavesonthestem.Thebaseleavesresemblethoseofthe dandelion. The flowers are sky blue and stay open only on sunny days.Chicoryhasamilkyjuice.

HabitatandDistribution:Look for chicory inold fields,waste areas,weedylots, and along roads. It is a native of Europe and Asia, but is also found inAfricaandmostofNorthAmericawhereitgrowsasaweed.

EdibleParts:Allpartsareedible.Eattheyoungleavesasasaladorboiltoeatasavegetable.Cooktherootsasavegetable.Foruseasacoffeesubstitute,roasttherootsuntiltheyaredarkbrownandthenpulverizethem.

ChufaCyperusesculentusDescription:Thisverycommonplanthasatriangularstemandgrasslikeleaves.Itgrowstoaheightof20to60centimeters.Thematureplanthasasoftfurlikebloom that extends from a whorl of leaves. Tubers 1 to 2.5 centimeters indiametergrowattheendsoftheroots.

Habitat and Distribution: Chufa grows in moist sandy areas throughout theworld.Itisoftenanabundantweedincultivatedfields.

EdibleParts: The tubers are edible raw, boiled, or baked.You can also grindthemandusethemasacoffeesubstitute.

CoconutCocosnuciferaDescription:Thistreehasasingle,narrow,talltrunkwithaclusterofverylargeleavesat the top.Each leafmaybeover6meters longwithover100pairsofleaflets.

Habitat and Distribution: Coconut palms are found throughout the tropics.Theyaremostabundantnearcoastalregions.

Edible Parts: The nut is a valuable source of food. The milk of the youngcoconutisrichinsugarandvitaminsandisanexcellentsourceofliquid.Thenutmeatisalsonutritiousbutisrichinoil.Topreservethemeat,spreaditinthesununtilitiscompletelydry.

Other Uses: Use coconut oil to cook and to protect metal objects fromcorrosion.Alsousetheoiltotreatsaltwatersores,sunburn,anddryskin.Usetheoilinimprovisedtorches.Usethetreetrunkasbuildingmaterialandtheleaves

asthatch.Hollowout thelargestumpforuseasafoodcontainer.Thecoconuthusksaregoodflotationdevicesand thehusk’sfibersareused toweaveropesand other items. Use the gauzelike fibers at the leaf bases as strainers or usethemtoweaveabugnetortomakeapadtouseonwounds.Thehuskmakesagoodabrasive.Driedhuskfiberisanexcellenttinder.Asmolderinghuskhelpstorepelmosquitoes.Smokecausedbydrippingcoconutoilinafirealsorepelsmosquitoes.Torendercoconutoil,putthecoconutmeatinthesun,heatitoveraslow fire, or boil it in a pot ofwater.Coconutswashed out to sea are a goodsourceoffreshliquidfortheseasurvivor.

CommonjujubeZiziphusjujubaDescription:Thecommonjujubeiseitheradeciduoustreegrowingtoaheightof 12meters or a large shrub, dependinguponwhere it grows andhowmuchwaterisavailableforgrowth.Itsbranchesareusuallyspiny.Itsreddish-browntoyellowish-green fruit is oblong to ovoid, 3 centimeters or less in diameter,smooth, and sweet in flavor, but has rather dry pulp around a comparativelylargestone.Itsflowersaregreen.

Habitat andDistribution: The jujube is found in forested areas of temperateregionsandindesertscrubandwasteareasworldwide.ItiscommoninmanyofthetropicalandsubtropicalareasoftheOldWorld.InAfrica,itisfoundmainlyborderingtheMediterranean.InAsia,itisespeciallycommoninthedrierpartsofIndiaandChina.ThejujubeisalsofoundthroughouttheEastIndies.Itcanbefoundborderingsomedesertareas.

EdibleParts:Thepulp,crushedinwater,makesarefreshingbeverage.Iftimepermits, you can dry the ripe fruit in the sun like dates. Its fruits are high invitaminsAandC.

CranberryVacciniummacrocarpon

Description: This plant has tiny leaves arranged alternately. Its stem creepsalongtheground.Itsfruitsareredberries.

HabitatandDistribution:Itonlygrowsinopen,sunny,wetareasinthecolderregionsofthenorthernhemisphere.

EdibleParts:Theberriesareverytartwheneatenraw.Cookinasmallamountofwaterandaddsugar,ifavailable,tomakeajelly.

Other Uses: Cranberries may act as a diuretic. They are useful for treatingurinarytractinfections.

CrowberryEmpetrumnigrumDescription:Thisisadwarfevergreenshrubwithshortneedlelikeleaves.Ithassmall,shiny,blackberriesthatremainonthebushthroughoutthewinter.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for this plant in tundra throughout arcticregionsofNorthAmericaandEurasia.

EdibleParts:Thefruitsareediblefreshorcanbedriedforlateruse.

CuipotreeCavanillesiaplatanifoliaDescription:Thisisaverydominantandeasilydetectedtreebecauseitextendsabovetheothertrees.Itsheightrangesfrom45to60meters.Ithasleavesonlyatthetopandisbare11monthsoutoftheyear.Ithasringsonitsbarkthatextendtothetoptomakeiseasilyrecognizable.Itsbarkisreddishorgrayincolor.Itsrootsarelightreddish-brownoryellowish-brown.

Habitat and Distribution: The cuipo tree is located primarily in CentralAmericantropicalrainforestsinmountainousareas.

EdibleParts:Togetwaterfromthistree,cutapieceoftherootandcleanthedirtandbarkoffoneend,keepingtheroothorizontal.Putthecleanendtoyourmouthorcanteenandraisetheother.Thewaterfromthistreetasteslikepotatowater.

OtherUses:Useyoungsaplingsandthebranches’innerbarktomakerope.

DandelionTaraxacumofficinaleDescription:Dandelion leaves have a jagged edge, grow close to the ground,and are seldommore than 20 centimeters long. Its flowers are bright yellow.Thereareseveraldandelionspecies.

Habitat and Distribution: Dandelions grow in open, sunny locationsthroughoutthenorthernhemisphere.

EdibleParts:Allpartsareedible.Eattheleavesraworcooked.Boiltherootsas a vegetable. Roots roasted and ground are a good coffee substitute.

DandelionsarehighinvitaminsAandCandincalcium.

OtherUses:Usethewhitejuiceintheflowerstemsasglue.

DatepalmPhoenixdactyliferaDescription: The date palm is a tall, unbranched tree with a crown of huge,compoundleaves.Itsfruitisyellowwhenripe.

Habitat and Distribution: This tree grows in arid semitropical regions. It isnative to North Africa and the Middle East but has been planted in the aridsemitropicsinotherpartsoftheworld.

EdibleParts:Itsfruitisediblefreshbutisverybitterifeatenbeforeitisripe.Youcandrythefruitsinthesunandpreservethemforalongtime.

Other Uses: The trunks provide valuable building material in desert regionswhere fewother treelikeplantsare found.The leavesaredurableandyoucanuse them for thatching and as weaving material. The base of the leavesresemblescoarsecloththatyoucanuseforscrubbingandcleaning.

DaylilyHemerocallisfulvaDescription:Thisplanthasunspotted,tawnyblossomsthatopenfor1dayonly.It has long, swordlike, green basal leaves. Its root is a mass of swollen andelongatedtubers.

Habitat and Distribution: Daylilies are found worldwide in Tropic andTemperate Zones. They are grown as a vegetable in the Orient and as anornamentalplantelsewhere.

EdibleParts:Theyounggreenleavesareedibleraworcooked.Tubersarealsoedible raw or cooked.You can eat its flowers raw, but they taste bettercooked.Youcanalsofrytheflowersforstorage.

CAUTION

Eatingexcessiveamountsofrawflowersmaycausediarrhea.

DuchesneaorIndianstrawberryDuchesneaindicaDescription:Theduchesnea is a small plant that has runners and three-partedleaves.Itsflowersareyellowanditsfruitresemblesastrawberry.

HabitatandDistribution:ItisnativetosouthernAsiabutisacommonweedinwarmertemperateregions.Lookforitinlawns,gardens,andalongroads.

EdibleParts:Itsfruitisedible.Eatitfresh.

ElderberrySambucuscanadensisDescription: Elderberry is a many-stemmed shrub with opposite, compoundleaves.Itgrowstoaheightof6meters.Itsflowersarefragrant,white,andbornein large flat-toppedclustersup to30centimetersacross. Itsberrylike fruitsaredarkblueorblackwhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Thisplantisfoundinopen,usuallywetareasatthemargins of marshes, rivers, ditches, and lakes. It grows throughout much ofeasternNorthAmericaandCanada.

Edible Parts: The flowers and fruits are edible. You can make a drink bysoaking the flowerheads for8hours, discarding the flowers, anddrinking theliquid.

CAUTION

Allotherpartsoftheplantarepoisonousanddangerousifeaten.

FireweedEpilobiumangustifoliumDescription: This plant grows up to 1.8meters tall. It has large, showy, pinkflowers and lance-shaped leaves. Its relative, the dwarf fireweed (Epilobiumlatifolium),grows30to60centimeterstall.

HabitatandDistribution:Tall fireweedisfoundinopenwoods,onhillsides,onstreambanks,andnearseashoresinarcticregions.Itisespeciallyabundantinburned-over areas. Dwarf fireweed is found along streams, sandbars, andlakeshoresandonalpineandarcticslopes.

EdibleParts:Theleaves,stems,andflowersareedibleinthespringbutbecometoughinsummer.Youcansplitopenthestemsofoldplantsandeatthepithraw.

FishtailpalmCaryotaurensDescription:Fishtailpalmsarelargetrees,at least18meters tall.Their leavesareunlikethoseofanyotherpalm;theleafletsareirregularandtoothedontheuppermargins.Allotherpalmshaveeitherfan-shapedorfeatherlikeleaves.Itsmassivefloweringshootisborneatthetopofthetreeandhangsdownward.

Habitat andDistribution: The fishtail palm is native to the tropics of India,Assam,andBurma.SeveralrelatedspeciesalsoexistinSoutheastAsiaandthePhilippines.Thesepalmsarefoundinopenhillcountryandjungleareas.

EdibleParts:Thechieffoodinthispalmisthestarchstoredinlargequantitiesinitstrunk.Thejuicefromthefishtailpalmisverynourishingandyouhavetodrinkitshortlyaftergettingitfromthepalmflowershoot.Boilthejuicedowntoget a rich sugar syrup.Use the samemethod as for the sugar palm to get thejuice.Thepalmcabbagemaybeeatenraworcooked.

FoxtailgrassSetariaspeciesDescription:Thisweedygrassisreadilyrecognizedbythenarrow,cylindricalheadcontaininglonghairs.Itsgrainsaresmall,lessthan6millimeterslong.The

denseheadsofgrainoftendroopwhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforfoxtailgrassesinopen,sunnyareas,alongroads, and at themargins of fields. Some species occur inwet,marshy areas.SpeciesofSetariaarefoundthroughouttheUnitedStates,Europe,westernAsia,and tropicalAfrica. In somepartsof theworld, foxtail grasses aregrownas afoodcrop.

EdibleParts:Thegrainsareediblerawbutareveryhardandsometimesbitter.Boilingremovessomeofthebitternessandmakesthemeasiertoeat.

GoabeanPsophocarpustetragonolobusDescription:Thegoabeanisaclimbingplantthatmaycoversmallshrubsand

trees.Itsbeanpodsare22centimeterslong,itsleaves15centimeterslong,anditsflowersarebrightblue.Thematurepodsare4-angled,withjaggedwingsonthepods.

Habitat andDistribution: This plant grows in tropicalAfrica,Asia, theEastIndies, thePhilippines,andTaiwan.Thismemberof thebean (legume) familyservestoillustrateakindofediblebeancommoninthetropicsoftheOldWorld.Wildediblebeansofthissortaremostfrequentlyfoundinclearingsandaroundabandonedgardensites.Theyaremorerareinforestedareas.

EdibleParts:Youcaneat theyoungpodslikestringbeans.Thematureseedsare a valuable source of protein after parching or roasting them over hotcoals.Youcangerminate the seeds (asyoucanmanykindsofbeans) indampmossandeattheresultantsprouts.Thethickenedrootsareedibleraw.Theyareslightlysweet,withthefirmnessofanapple.Youcanalsoeattheyoungleavesasavegetable,raworsteamed.

HackberryCeltisspeciesDescription:Hackberrytreeshavesmooth,graybarkthatoftenhascorkywartsor ridges.The treemay reach39meters inheight.Hackberry treeshave long-pointed leaves thatgrow in tworows.This treebears small, roundberries thatcan be eaten when they are ripe and fall from the tree. The wood of thehackberryisyellowish.

Habitat and Distribution: This plant is widespread in the United States,especiallyinandnearponds.

EdibleParts:Itsberriesareediblewhentheyareripeandfallfromthetree.

HazelnutorwildfilbertCorylusspeciesDescription:Hazelnutsgrowonbushes1.8 to3.6metershigh.Onespecies inTurkeyandanotherinChinaarelargetrees.Thenutitselfgrowsinaverybristlyhuskthatconspicuouslycontractsabovethenutintoalongneck.Thedifferentspeciesvaryinthisrespectastosizeandshape.

HabitatandDistribution:Hazelnuts are foundoverwideareas in theUnitedStates, especially the eastern half of the country and along the Pacific coast.These nuts are also found in Europe where they are known as filberts. Thehazelnut is common inAsia, especially in easternAsia from theHimalayas toChinaandJapan.Thehazelnutusuallygrowsinthedensethicketsalongstreambanksandopenplaces.Theyarenotplantsofthedenseforest.

EdibleParts:Hazelnutsripenintheautumnwhenyoucancrackthemopenandeat thekernel.Thedriednut isextremelydelicious.Thenut’shighoilcontentmakesitagoodsurvivalfood.Intheunripestage,youcancrackthemopenandeatthefreshkernel.

HorseradishtreeMoringapterygosperma

Description: This tree grows from 4.5 to 14 meters tall. Its leaves have afernlikeappearance.Itsflowersandlong,pendulousfruitsgrowontheendsof

thebranches.Itsfruit(pod)lookslikeagiantbean.Its25-to-60-centimeterlongpods are triangular in cross section,with strong ribs. Its roots have a pungentodor.

Habitat and Distribution: This tree is found in the rain forests andsemievergreenseasonalforestsofthetropicalregions.ItiswidespreadinIndia,SoutheastAsia,Africa,andCentralAmerica.Lookforitinabandonedfieldsandgardensandattheedgesofforests.

EdibleParts:Theleavesareedibleraworcooked,dependingontheirhardness.Cuttheyoungseedpodsintoshortlengthsandcookthemlikestringbeansorfrythem.You can get oil for frying by boiling the young fruits of palms andskimmingtheoiloffthesurfaceofthewater.Youcaneattheflowersaspartofasalad.Youcanchewfresh,youngseedpodstoeatthepulpyandsoftseeds.Therootsmaybegroundasasubstituteforseasoningsimilartohorseradish.

IcelandmossCetrariaislandica

Description:Thismoss growsonly a few inches high. Its colormaybe gray,white,orevenreddish.

Habitat andDistribution: Look for it in open areas. It is found only in thearctic.

EdibleParts:AllpartsoftheIcelandmossareedible.Duringthewinterordryseason,itisdryandcrunchybutsoftenswhensoaked.Boilthemosstoremovethebitterness.Afterboiling,eatbyitselforaddtomilkorgrainsasathickeningagent.Driedplantsstorewell.

IndianpotatoorEskimopotatoClaytoniaspeciesDescription: All Claytonia species are somewhat fleshy plants only a fewcentimeterstall,withshowyflowersabout2.5centimetersacross.

Habitat andDistribution: Some species are found in rich forestswhere theyare conspicuous before the leaves develop. Western species are foundthroughoutmostofthenorthernUnitedStatesandinCanada.

EdibleParts:Thetubersareediblebutyoushouldboilthembeforeeating.

JuniperJuniperusspeciesDescription: Junipers, sometimes called cedars, are trees or shrubswith verysmall, scalelike leaves densely crowded around the branches.Each leaf is lessthan1.2centimeterslong.Allspecieshaveadistinctaromaresemblingthewell-knowncedar.Theberrylikeconesareusuallyblueandcoveredwithawhitishwax.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for junipers in open, dry, sunny areasthroughout North America and northern Europe. Some species are found insoutheasternEurope,acrossAsiatoJapan,andinthemountainsofNorthAfrica.

EdibleParts:Theberriesandtwigsareedible.Eattheberriesraworroasttheseedstouseasacoffeesubstitute.Usedriedandcrushedberriesasaseasoningformeat.Gatheryoungtwigstomakeatea.

CAUTION

Manyplantsmaybecalledcedarsbutarenotrelatedtojunipersandmay be harmful. Always look for the berrylike structures, needleleaves,andresinous,fragrantsaptobesuretheplantyouhaveisajuniper.

LotusNelumbospecies

Description: There are two species of lotus: one has yellow flowers and theother pink flowers. The flowers are large and showy. The leaves, whichmayfloatonorriseabovethesurfaceofthewater,oftenreach1.5metersinradius.Thefruithasadistinctiveflattenedshapeandcontainsupto20hardseeds.

Habitat and Distribution: The yellow-flowered lotus is native to NorthAmerica. The pink-flowered species, which is widespread in the Orient, isplantedinmanyotherareasoftheworld.Lotusesarefoundinquietfreshwater.

EdibleParts:Allpartsof theplantareedible raworcooked.Theunderwaterpartscontainlargequantitiesofstarch.Digthefleshyportionsfromthemudandbakeorboilthem.Boiltheyoungleavesandeatthemasavegetable.Theseedshaveapleasantflavorandarenutritious.Eatthemraw,orparchandgrindthemintoflour.

MalangaXanthosomacaracuDescription:Thisplanthassoft,arrow-shapedleaves,upto60centimeterslong.Theleaveshavenoabovegroundstems.

Habitat and Distribution: This plant grows widely in the Caribbean region.Lookforitinopen,sunnyfields.

EdibleParts:Thetubersarerichinstarch.Cookthembeforeeatingtodestroyapoisoncontainedinallpartsoftheplant.

WARNING

Alwayscookbeforeeating.

MangoMangiferaindicaDescription:This treemay reach30meters inheight. Ithasalternate, simple,shiny,darkgreenleaves.Itsflowersaresmallandinconspicuous.Itsfruitshavealargesingleseed.Therearemanycultivatedvarietiesofmango.Somehaveredflesh,othersyellowororange,oftenwithmanyfibersandakerosenetaste.

HabitatandDistribution:Thistreegrowsinwarm,moistregions.ItisnativetonorthernIndia,Burma,andwesternMalaysia.Itisnowgrownthroughoutthetropics.

Edible Parts: The fruits are a nutritious food source. The unripe fruit can bepeeledanditsflesheatenbyshreddingitandeatingitlikeasalad.Theripefruitcanbepeeledandeatenraw.Roastedseedkernelsareedible.

CAUTION

If you are sensitive to poison ivy, avoid eating mangoes, as theycauseaseverereactioninsensitiveindividuals.

ManiocManihotutillissimaDescription:Maniocisaperennialshrubbyplant,1to3meterstall,withjointedstemsanddeepgreen,fingerlikeleaves.Ithaslarge,fleshyrootstocks.

Habitat and Distribution: Manioc is widespread in all tropical climates,particularly inmoist areas.Although cultivated extensively, itmaybe found inabandonedgardensandgrowingwildinmanyareas.

Edible Parts: The rootstocks are full of starch and high in food value. Twokinds ofmanioc are known: bitter and sweet.Both are edible. The bitter typecontains poisonous hydrocyanic acid. To preparemanioc, first grind the freshmanioc root into a pulp, then cook it for at least 1 hour to remove the bitterpoison from the roots. Then flatten the pulp into cakes and bake as bread.Manioccakesor flourwillkeepalmost indefinitely ifprotectedagainst insectsanddampness.Wraptheminbananaleavesforprotection.

CAUTION

Forsafety,alwayscooktherootsofeithertypeofmanioc.

MarshmarigoldCalthapalustrisDescription: This plant has rounded, dark green leaves arising from a shortstem.Ithasbrightyellowflowers.

HabitatandDistribution:Thisplantisfoundinbogs,lakes,andslowmovingstreams.ItisabundantinarcticandsubarcticregionsandinmuchoftheeasternregionofthenorthernUnitedStates.

EdibleParts:Allpartsareedibleifboiled.

CAUTION

Aswithallwaterplants,donoteatthisplantraw.Rawwaterplantsmaycarrydangerousorganismsthatareremovedonlybycooking.

MulberryMorusspeciesDescription: This tree has alternate, simple, often lobed leaves with roughsurfaces.Itsfruitsareblueorblackandmanyseeded.

HabitatandDistribution:Mulberrytreesarefoundinforests,alongroadsides,andinabandonedfieldsintemperateandtropicalzonesofNorthAmerica,SouthAmerica,Europe,Asia,andAfrica.

EdibleParts:Thefruitisedibleraworcooked.Itcanbedriedforeatinglater.

CAUTION

When eaten in quantity, mulberry fruit acts as a laxative. Green,unripe fruit can be hallucinogenic and cause extreme nausea andcramps.

OtherUses:Youcanshredtheinnerbarkofthetreeanduseittomaketwineorcord.

NettleUrticaandLaporteaspecies

Description: These plants grow several feet high. They have small,inconspicuous flowers. Fine, hairlike bristles cover the stems, leafstalks, andundersidesofleaves.Thebristlescauseastingingsensationwhentheytouchtheskin.

Habitat andDistribution: Nettles prefermoist areas along streams or at the

marginsofforests.TheyarefoundthroughoutNorthAmerica,CentralAmerica,theCaribbean,andnorthernEurope.

EdibleParts:Youngshootsandleavesareedible.Boilingtheplantfor10to15minutes destroys the stinging element of the bristles. This plant is verynutritious.

Other Uses: Mature stems have a fibrous layer that you can divide intoindividualfibersandusetoweavestringortwine.

NipapalmNipafruticansDescription:Thispalmhasa short,mainlyunderground trunkandvery large,erectleavesupto6meterstall.Theleavesaredividedintoleaflets.Aflowering

headformsonashorterectsternthatrisesamongthepalmleaves.Thefruiting(seed)headisdarkbrownandmaybe30centimetersindiameter.

Habitat andDistribution: This palm is common onmuddy shores in coastalregionsthroughouteasternAsia.

EdibleParts:Theyoung flower stalk and the seedsprovide agood sourceofwater and food.Cut the flower stalk and collect the juice.The juice is rich insugar.Theseedsarehardbutedible.

OtherUses:Theleavesareexcellentasthatchandcoarseweavingmaterial.

OakQuercusspeciesDescription: Oak trees have alternate leaves and acorn fruits. There are twomaingroupsofoaks:redandwhite.Theredoakgrouphasleaveswithbristlesand smoothbark in theupper part of the tree.Redoak acorns take2years tomature.Thewhiteoakgrouphasleaveswithoutbristlesandaroughbarkintheupperportionofthetree.Whiteoakacornsmaturein1year.

Habitat and Distribution: Oak trees are found in many habitats throughoutNorthAmerica,CentralAmerica,andpartsofEuropeandAsia.

Edible Parts: All parts are edible, but often contain large quantities of bittersubstances.Whiteoakacornsusuallyhaveabetter flavor than redoakacorns.Gather and shell the acorns. Soak red oak acorns inwater for 1 to 2 days toremove the bitter substance.You can speed up this process by putting woodashesinthewaterinwhichyousoaktheacorns.Boiltheacornsorgrindthemintoflourandusetheflourforbaking.Youcanuseacornsthatyoubakeduntilverydarkasacoffeesubstitute.

CAUTION

Tannic acid gives the acorns their bitter taste.Eating an excessiveamount of acorns high in tannic acid can lead to kidney failure.Beforeeatingacorns,leachoutthischemical.

OtherUses:Oakwoodisexcellentforbuildingorburning.Smalloakscanbesplit andcut into long thin strips (3 to6millimeters thickand1.2centimeterswide)usedtoweavemats,baskets,orframeworksforpacks,sleds,furniture,etc.Oakbarksoakedinwaterproducesatanningsolutionusedtopreserveleather.

OrachAtriplexspeciesDescription: This plant is vinelike in growth and has arrowhead-shaped,alternateleavesupto5centimeterslong.Youngleavesmaybesilver-colored.Itsflowersandfruitsaresmallandinconspicuous.

Habitat andDistribution: Orach species are entirely restricted to salty soils.TheyarefoundalongNorthAmerica’scoastsandontheshoresofalkalinelakesinland.TheyarealsofoundalongseashoresfromtheMediterraneancountriestoinlandareasinNorthAfricaandeastwardtoTurkeyandcentralSiberia.

EdibleParts:Theentireplantisedibleraworboiled.

PalmettopalmSabalpalmettoDescription: The palmetto palm is a tall, unbranched treewith persistent leafbasesonmostofthetrunk.Theleavesarelarge,simple,andpalmatelylobed.Itsfruitsaredarkblueorblackwithahardseed.

HabitatandDistribution:Thepalmettopalm is found throughout thecoastalregionsofthesoutheasternUnitedStates.

Edible Parts: The fruits are edible raw. The hard seeds may be ground intoflour.Theheartofthepalmisanutritiousfoodsourceatanytime.Cutoffthetopofthetreetoobtainthepalmheart.

PapayaorpawpawCaricapapayaDescription:Thepapayaisasmalltree1.8to6meterstall,withasoft,hollowtrunk.Whencut, theentireplantexudesamilky juice.The trunk is roughandthe leaves are crowded at the trunk’s apex. The fruit grows directly from thetrunk, among and below the leaves. The fruit is green before ripening.Whenripe,itturnsyelloworremainsgreenishwithasquashlikeappearance.

Habitat andDistribution: Papaya is found in rain forests and semievergreenseasonalforestsintropicalregionsandinsometemperateregionsaswell.Lookfor it inmoist areas near clearings and former habitations. It is also found inopen,sunnyplacesinuninhabitedjungleareas.

Edible Parts: The ripe fruit is high in vitamin C. Eat it raw or cock it likesquash. Place green fruit in the sun tomake it ripen quickly.Cook the youngpapayaleaves,flowers,andstemscarefully,changingthewaterasfortaro.

CAUTION

Becarefulnot toget themilky sap from theunripe fruit intoyoureyes. It will cause intense pain and temporary–sometimes evenpermanent–blindness.

OtherUses:Usethemilkyjuiceoftheunripefruittotenderizetoughmeat.Rubthejuiceonthemeat.

PersimmonDiospyrosvirginianaandotherspeciesDescription:Thesetreeshavealternating,darkgreen,ellipticleaveswithentiremargins. The flowers are inconspicuous. The fruits are orange, have a stickyconsistency,andhaveseveralseeds.

HabitatandDistribution:Thepersimmonisacommonforestmargintree.ItiswidespreadinAfrica,easternNorthAmerica,andthefareast.

EdibleParts:The leavesareagoodsourceofvitaminC.The fruitsareedibleraworbaked.Tomaketea,drytheleavesandsoaktheminhotwater.Youcaneattheroastedseeds.

CAUTION

Some people are unable to digest persimmon pulp. Unripepersimmonsarehighlyastringentandinedible.

PincushioncactusMammilariaspeciesDescription:Membersofthiscactusgroupareround,short,barrel-shaped,andwithoutleaves.Sharpspinescovertheentireplant.

HabitatandDistribution:ThesecactiarefoundthroughoutmuchofthedesertregionsofthewesternUnitedStatesandpartsofCentralAmerica.

EdibleParts:Theyareagoodsourceofwaterinthedesert.

PinePinusspeciesDescription:Pinetreesareeasilyrecognizedbytheirneedlelikeleavesgroupedin bundles. Each bundlemay contain one to five needles, the number varying

among species.The tree’s odor and sticky sap provide a simple way todistinguishpinesfromsimilarlookingtreeswithneedlelikeleaves.

Habitat and Distribution: Pines prefer open, sunny areas. They are foundthroughout North America, Central America, much of the Caribbean region,NorthAfrica,theMiddleEast,Europe,andsomeplacesinAsia.

EdibleParts:Theseedsofallspeciesareedible.Youcancollecttheyoungmalecones,whichgrowonlyinthespring,asasurvivalfood.Boilorbaketheyoungcones.Thebarkofyoungtwigsisedible.Peeloffthebarkofthintwigs.Youcanchewthejuicyinnerbark;itisrichinsugarandvitamins.Eattheseedsraworcooked.GreenpineneedleteaishighinvitaminC.

OtherUses:Usetheresintowaterproofarticles.Alsouseitasglue.Collecttheresinfromthetree.Ifthereisnotenoughresinonthetree,cutanotchinthebarksomoresapwillseepout.Puttheresininacontainerandheatit.Thehotresinisyourglue.Useitasisoraddasmallamountofashdusttostrengthenit.Useitimmediately.Youcanusehardenedpineresinasanemergencydentalfilling.

Plantain,broadandnarrowleafPlantagospecies

Description:Thebroadleafplantainhasleavesover2.5centimetersacrossthatgrowclosetotheground.Theflowersareonaspikethatrisesfromthemiddleoftheclusterofleaves.Thenarrowleafplantainhasleavesupto12centimeterslong and 2.5 centimeterswide, coveredwith hairs. The leaves form a rosette.Theflowersaresmallandinconspicuous.

HabitatandDistribution:LookfortheseplantsinlawnsandalongroadsintheNorthTemperateZone.Thisplant is a commonweed throughoutmuchof theworld.

EdibleParts:Theyoung tender leavesareedible raw.Older leavesshouldbecooked.Seedsareedibleraworroasted.

OtherUses:Torelievepainfromwoundsandsores,washandsoaktheplantfora short timeandapply it to the injuredarea.To treatdiarrhea,drink teamadefrom28grams(1ounce)oftheplantleavesboiledin.5literofwater.Theseedsandseedhusksactaslaxatives.

PokeweedPhytolaccaamericanaDescription:Thisplantmaygrowashighas3meters.Itsleavesareellipticandup to1meter in length. Itproducesmanylargeclustersofpurplefruits in latespring.

Habitat andDistribution: Look for this plant in open, sunny areas in forestclearings, in fields, and along roadsides in eastern North America, CentralAmerica,andtheCaribbean.

EdibleParts:Theyoungleavesandstemsareediblecooked.Boilthemtwice,discardingthewaterfromthefirstboiling.Thefruitsareedibleifcooked.

CAUTION

All parts of this plant are poisonous if eaten raw. Never eat theunderground portions of the plant as these contain the highestconcentrations of the poisons. Do not eat any plant over 25centimeterstallorwhenredisshowingintheplant.

OtherUses:Usethejuiceoffreshberriesasadye.

PricklypearcactusOpuntiaspeciesDescription: This cactus has flat, padlike stems that are green.Many round,furrydotsthatcontainsharp-pointedhairscoverthesestems.

HabitatandDistribution:Thiscactusisfoundinaridandsemiaridregionsandindry,sandyareasofwetter regions throughoutmostof theUnitedStatesandCentral and South America. Some species are planted in arid and semiaridregionsofotherpartsoftheworld.

EdibleParts:Allpartsoftheplantareedible.Peelthefruitsandeatthemfreshorcrushthemtopreparearefreshingdrink.Avoidthetiny,pointedhairs.Roasttheseedsandgrindthemtoaflour.

CAUTION

Avoidanypricklypearcactuslikeplantwithmilkysap.

OtherUses:Thepadisagoodsourceofwater.Peelitcarefullytoremoveallsharphairsbeforeputtingitinyourmouth.Youcanalsousethepadstopromotehealing.Splitthemandapplythepulptowounds.

PurslanePortulacaoleraceaDescription:Thisplantgrowsclosetotheground.Itisseldommorethanafewcentimeterstall.Itsstemsandleavesarefleshyandoftentingedwithred.Ithas

paddleshaped leaves, 2.5 centimeter or less long, clustered at the tips of thestems.Itsflowersareyelloworpink.Itsseedsaretinyandblack.

Habitat and Distribution: It grows in full sun in cultivated fields, fieldmargins,andotherweedyareasthroughouttheworld.

EdibleParts:Allpartsareedible.Washandboiltheplantsforatastyvegetableoreatthemraw.Usetheseedsasafloursubstituteoreatthemraw.

RattanpalmCalamusspeciesDescription: The rattan palm is a stout, robust climber. It has hooks on themidribof its leaves that it uses to remain attached to treesonwhich it grows.Sometimes,maturestemsgrowto90meters.Ithasalternate,compoundleaves

andawhitishflower.

Habitat and Distribution: The rattan palm is found from tropical AfricathroughAsiatotheEastIndiesandAustralia.Itgrowsmainlyinrainforests.

EdibleParts:Rattanpalmsholdaconsiderableamountofstarchintheiryoungstem tips.You can eat them roasted or raw. In other kinds, a gelatinous pulp,eithersweetorsour,surroundstheseeds.Youcansuckoutthispulp.Thepalmheartisalsoedibleraworcooked.

OtherUses:Youcanobtainlargeamountsofpotablewaterbycuttingtheendsofthelongstems.Thestemscanbeusedtomakebasketsandfishtraps.

ReedPhragmitesaustralis

Description:Thistall,coarsegrassgrowsto3.5meterstallandhasgray-greenleavesabout4centimeterswide.Ithaslargemassesofbrownflowerbranchesinearlysummer.Theserarelyproducegrainandbecomefluffy,graymasseslateintheseason.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforreedinanyopen,wetarea,especiallyonethat has been disturbed through dredging. Reed is found throughout thetemperateregionsofboththenorthernandsouthernhemispheres.

Edible Parts: All parts of the plant are edible raw or cooked in any season.Harvest the stems as they emerge from the soil and boil them.You can alsoharvestthemjustbeforetheyproduceflowers,thendryandbeatthemintoflour.Youcanalsodigupandboil theundergroundstems,but theyareoften tough.Seedsareedibleraworboiled,buttheyarerarelyfound.

ReindeermossCladoniarangiferina

Description:Reindeermossisalowgrowingplantonlyafewcentimeterstall.Itdoesnotflowerbutdoesproducebrightredreproductivestructures.

Habitat andDistribution: Look for this lichen in open, dry areas. It is verycommoninmuchofNorthAmerica.

EdibleParts:Theentireplantisediblebuthasacrunchy,brittletexture.Soakthe plant in water with some wood ashes to remove the bitterness, then dry,crush,andaddittomilkortootherfood.

RocktripeUmbilicariaspeciesDescription:Thisplantformslargepatcheswithcurlingedges.Thetopof theplantisusuallyblack.Theundersideislighterincolor.

Habitat and Distribution: Look on rocks and boulders for this plant. It iscommonthroughoutNorthAmerica.

EdibleParts:The entire plant is edible. Scrape it off the rock andwash it toremovegrit.Theplantmaybedryandcrunchy;soakitinwateruntilitbecomessoft. Rock tripesmay contain large quantities of bitter substances; soaking orboilingtheminseveralchangesofwaterwillremovethebitterness.

CAUTION

There are some reports of poisoning from rock tripe, so apply theUniversalEdibilityTest.

RoseappleEugeniajambosDescription:This treegrows3 to9metershigh. It hasopposite, simple,darkgreen,shinyleaves.Whenfresh,ithasfluffy,yellowish-greenflowersandredtopurpleegg-shapedfruit.

HabitatandDistribution:Thistreeiswidelyplantedinallofthetropics.Itcanalsobefoundinasemiwildstateinthickets,wasteplaces,andsecondaryforests.

EdibleParts:Theentirefruitisedibleraworcooked.

SagopalmMetroxylonsagu

Description:Thesepalmsarelowtrees,rarelyover9meterstall,withastout,spinytrunk.Theouterrindisabout5centimetersthickandhardasbamboo.Therindenclosesaspongyinnerpithcontainingahighproportionofstarch. Ithas

typicalpalmlikeleavesclusteredatthetip.

Habitat and Distribution: Sago palm is found in tropical rain forests. ItflourishesindamplowlandsintheMalayPeninsula,NewGuinea,Indonesia,thePhilippines, and adjacent islands. It is found mainly in swamps and alongstreams,lakes,andrivers.

EdibleParts:Thesepalms,whenavailable,areofgreatusetothesurvivor.Onetrunk, cut justbefore it flowers,will yield enough sago to feedaperson for1year.Obtain sago starch fromnonfloweringpalms.To extract the edible sage,cut away the bark lengthwise from one half of the trunk, and pound the soft,whitishinnerpart(pith)asfineaspossible.Kneadthepithinwaterandstrainitthrough a coarse cloth into a container.The fine,white sagowill settle in thecontainer.Oncethesagosettles,itisreadyforuse.Squeezeofftheexcesswaterand let it dry. Cook it as pancakes or oatmeal. Two kilograms of sago is thenutritionalequivalentof1.5kilogramsofrice.Theupperpartofthetrunk’scoredoesnotyieldsage,butyoucanroastitinlumpsoverafire.Youcanalsoeattheyoungsagonutsandthegrowingshootsorpalmcabbage.

OtherUses:Usethestemsoftallsorghumsasthatchingmaterials.

SassafrasSassafrasalbidumDescription:Thisshruborsmall treebearsdifferent leaveson thesameplant.Some leaves will have one lobe, some two lobes, and some no lobes. Theflowers,whichappearinearlyspring,aresmallandyellow.Thefruitsaredarkblue.Theplantpartshaveacharacteristicrootbeersmell.

HabitatandDistribution:Sassafrasgrowsatthemarginsofroadsandforests,usually in open, sunny areas. It is a common tree throughout eastern NorthAmerica.

EdibleParts:Theyoungtwigsandleavesareediblefreshordried.Youcanadddriedyoungtwigsandleavestosoups.Digtheundergroundportion,peeloffthebark,andletitdry.Thenboilitinwatertopreparesassafrastea.

OtherUses:Shredthetendertwigsforuseasatoothbrush.

SaxaulHaloxylonammondendronDescription:Thesaxaulisfoundeitherasasmalltreeorasalargeshrubwithheavy,coarsewoodandspongy,water-soakedbark.Thebranchesoftheyoungtreesarevividgreenandpendulous.Theflowersaresmallandyellow.

Habitat andDistribution: The saxaul is found in desert and arid areas. It isfound on the arid salt deserts of Central Asia, particularly in the TurkestanregionandeastoftheCaspianSea.

EdibleParts:Thethickbarkactsasawaterstorageorgan.Youcangetdrinkingwaterbypressingquantitiesofthebark.Thisplantisanimportantsomeofwaterinthearidregionsinwhichitgrows.

ScrewpinePandanusspeciesDescription: The screw pine is a strange plant on stilts, or prop roots, thatsupport the plant aboveground so that it appears more or less suspended inmidair.Theseplantsareeithershrubbyortreelike,3to9meterstall,withstiffleaves having sawlike edges. The fruits are large, roughened balls resemblingpineapples,butwithoutthetuftofleavesattheend.

HabitatandDistribution:Thescrewpineisatropicalplantthatgrowsinrainforestsandsemievergreenseasonal forests. It is foundmainlyalongseashores,although certain kinds occur inland for some distance, from Madagascar tosouthernAsiaand the islandsof thesouthwesternPacific.Thereareabout180

types.

EdibleParts:Knocktheripefruit tothegroundtoseparatethefruitsegmentsfromthehardoutercovering.Chewtheinnerfleshypart.Cookfruitthatisnotfully ripe in an earth oven. Before cooking, wrap the whole fruit in bananaleaves, breadfruit leaves, or any other suitable thick, leathery leaves. Aftercooking for about 2 hours, you can chew fruit segments like ripe fruit.Greenfruitisinedible.

SeaorachAtriplexhalimusDescription:Theseaorachisasparinglybranchedherbaceousplantwithsmall,gray-colored leaves up to 2.5 centimeters long. Sea orach resembles Iamb’squarter, a commonweed inmost gardens in theUnited States. It produces itsflowersinnarrow,denselycompactedspikesatthetipsofitsbranches.

HabitatandDistribution:Theseaorach is found inhighlyalkalineandsaltyareasalongseashoresfromtheMediterraneancountriestoinlandareasinNorthAfricaandeastwardtoTurkeyandcentralSiberia.Generally,itcanbefoundintropical scrub and thorn forests, steppes in temperate regions, andmost desertscrubandwasteareas.

EdibleParts:Itsleavesareedible.Intheareaswhereitgrows,ithasthehealthyreputationofbeingoneofthefewnativeplantsthatcansustainmanintimesofwant.

SheepsorrelRumexacerosellaDescription:Theseplantsareseldommorethan30centimeterstall.Theyhavealternate leaves,oftenwitharrowlikebases,verysmall flowers,andfrequently

reddishstems.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for these plants in old fields and otherdisturbedareasinNorthAmericaandEurope.

EdibleParts:Theplantsareedibleraworcooked.

CAUTION

Theseplantscontainoxalicacid thatcanbedamaging if toomanyplantsareeatenraw.Cookingseemstodestroythechemical.

SorghumSorghumspeciesDescription: There are many different kinds of sorghum, all of which beargrains in heads at the top of the plants. The grains are brown, white, red, orblack.Sorghumisthemainfoodcropinmanypartsoftheworld.

Habitat and Distribution: Sorghum is found worldwide, usually in warmerclimates.Allspeciesarefoundinopen,sunnyareas.

EdibleParts:Thegrainsareedibleatanystageofdevelopment.Whenyoung,the grains are milky and edible raw. Boil the older grains. Sorghum is anutritiousfood.

OtherUses:Usethestemsoftallsorghumasbuildingmaterials.

SpatterdockoryellowwaterlilyNupharspeciesDescription:Thisplanthas leavesup to60centimeters longwitha triangularnotch at the base. The shape of the leaves is somewhat variable. The plant’syellow flowers are2.5 centimeter across anddevelop intobottle-shaped fruits.Thefruitsaregreenwhenripe.

Habitat and Distribution: These plants grow throughout most of NorthAmerica.Theyare found inquiet, fresh, shallowwater (neverdeeper than1.8meters).

EdibleParts:Allpartsof theplant areedible.The fruits contain severaldark

brownseedsyoucanparchorroastandthengrindintoflour.Thelargerootstockcontains starch.Dig it outof themud,peeloff theoutside, andboil the flesh.Sometimes the rootstock contains large quantities of a very bitter compound.Boilinginseveralchangesofwatermayremovethebitterness.

SterculiaSterculiafoetidaDescription: Sterculias are tall trees, rising in some instances to 30 meters.Their leaves are either undivided or palmately lobed.Their flowers are red orpurple.The fruit of all sterculias is similar in aspect, with a red, segmentedseedpodcontainingmanyedibleblackseeds.

HabitatandDistribution:Thereareover100speciesofsterculiasdistributedthroughallwarmortropicalclimates.Theyaremainlyforesttrees.

EdibleParts:Thelarge,redpodsproduceanumberofedibleseeds.Theseedsofallsterculiasareedibleandhaveapleasanttastesimilartococoa.Youcaneatthemlikenuts,eitherraworroasted.

CAUTION

Avoideatinglargequantities.Theseedsmayhavealaxativeeffect.

Strawberry

Fragariaspecies

Description:Strawberry isasmallplantwitha three-leavedgrowthpattern. Ithassmall,whiteflowersusuallyproducedduringthespring.Itsfruitisredandfleshy.

HabitatandDistribution:StrawberriesarefoundintheNorthTemperateZoneandalsointhehighmountainsofthesouthernwesternhemisphere.Strawberriespreferopen,sunnyareas.Theyarecommonlyplanted.

EdibleParts:Thefruitisediblefresh,cooked,ordried.StrawberriesareagoodsourceofvitaminC.Youcanalsoeattheplant’sleavesordrythemandmakeateawiththem.

WARNING

Eatonlywhite-floweringtruestrawberries.Othersimilarplantswithoutwhiteflowerscanbepoisonous.

SugarcaneSaccharumofficinarumDescription: This plant grows up to 4.5 meters tall. It is a grass and hasgrasslike leaves. Itsgreenorreddishstemsareswollenwhere the leavesgrow.Cultivatedsugarcaneseldomflowers.

Habitat andDistribution: Look for sugarcane in fields. It grows only in thetropics (throughout theworld). Because it is a crop, it is often found in largenumbers.

EdibleParts:The stem is an excellent sourceof sugar and is verynutritious.Peel theouter portionoffwithyour teeth and eat the sugarcane raw.Youcanalsosqueezejuiceoutofthesugarcane.

SugarpalmArengapinnataDescription:Thistreegrowsabout15metershighandhashugeleavesupto6meters long.Needlelikestructuresstickoutof thebasesof the leaves.Flowersgrowbelowtheleavesandformlargeconspicuousdustersfromwhichthefruitsgrow.

HabitatandDistribution:Thispalmisnative to theEast Indiesbuthasbeenplantedinmanypartsoffthetropics.Itcanbefoundatthemarginsofforests.

EdibleParts:Thechiefuseofthispalmisforsugar.However,itsseedsandthetipofitsstemsareasurvivalfood.Bruiseayoungflowerstalkwithastoneorsimilarobjectandcollect the juiceas itcomesout. It isanexcellentsourceofsugar.Boiltheseeds.Usethetipofthestemsasavegetable.

CAUTION

Thefleshcoveringtheseedsmaycausedermatitis.

OtherUses:Theshaggymaterialat thebaseof the leavesmakesanexcellentropeasitisstrongandresistsdecay.

SweetsopAnnonasquamosaDescription: This tree is small, seldom more than 6 meters tall, andmultibranched. It has alternate, simple, elongate, dark green leaves. Its fruit is

green when ripe, round in shape, and covered with protruding bumps on itssurface.Thefruit’sfleshiswhiteandcreamy.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforsweetsopatmarginsoffields,nearvillages,andaroundhomesitesintropicalregions.

EdibleParts:Thefruitfleshisedibleraw.

OtherUses:Youcanusethefinelygroundseedsasaninsecticide.

CAUTION

Thegroundseedsareextremelydangeroustotheeyes.

TamarindTamarindusindicaDescription:Thetamarindisalarge,denselybranchedtree,upto25meterstall.Itshaspinnateleaves(dividedlikeafeather)with10to15pairsofleaflets.

Habitat and Distribution: The tamarind grows in the drier parts of Africa,Asia,andthePhilippines.AlthoughitisthoughttobeanativeofAfrica,ithasbeencultivatedinIndiaforsolongthatitlookslikeanativetree.Itisalsofoundin theAmerican tropics, theWest Indies,CentralAmerica, and tropical SouthAmerica.

Edible Parts: The pulp surrounding the seeds is rich in vitamin C and is animportant survival food.Youcanmakeapleasantlyacidicdrinkbymixing thepulpwithwater and sugarorhoneyand letting themixturemature for severaldays.Suckthepulptorelievethirst.Cooktheyoung,unripefruitsorseedpods

withmeat.Usetheyoungleavesinsoup.Youmustcooktheseeds.Roastthemabovea fireor inashes.Anotherway is to remove theseedcoatandsoak theseedsinsaltedwaterandgratedcoconutfor24hours,thencookthem.Youcanpeelthetamarindbarkandchewit.

Taro,cocoyam,elephantears,eddo,dasheenColocasiaandAlocasiaspeciesDescription:Allplants inthesegroupshavelargeleaves,sometimesupto1.8meterstall,thatgrowfromaveryshortstem.Therootstockisthickandfleshyandfilledwithstarch.

Habitat andDistribution: These plants grow in the humid tropics. Look fortheminfieldsandnearhomesitesandvillages.

Edible Parts: All parts of the plant are ediblewhen boiled or roasted.Whenboiling,changethewateroncetogetridofanypoison.

CAUTION

If eaten raw, these plantswill cause a serious inflammation of themouthandthroat.

ThistleCirsiumspeciesDescription: This plantmay grow as high as 1.5meters. Its leaves are long-pointed,deeplylobed,andprickly.

HabitatandDistribution:Thistlesgrowworldwideindrywoodsandfields.

EdibleParts:Peelthestalks,cutthemintoshortsections,andboilthembeforeeating.Therootsareedibleraworcooked.

CAUTION

Somethistlespeciesarepoisonous.

OtherUses:Twistthetoughfibersofthestemstomakeastrongtwine.

TiCordylineterminalisDescription:The tihasunbranchedstemswithstraplike leavesoftenclusteredatthetipofthestem.Theleavesvaryincolorandmaybegreenorreddish.Theflowersgrowattheplant’stopinlarge,plumelikeclusters.Thetimaygrowupto4.5meterstall.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforthisplantatthemarginsofforestsornearhomesitesintropicalareas.ItisnativetotheFarEastbutisnowwidelyplantedintropicalareasworldwide.

EdibleParts:The rootsandvery tenderyoung leavesaregoodsurvival food.Boil or bake the short, stout roots found at the base of the plant. They are avaluable source of starch. Boil the very young leaves to eat.You can use the

leavestowrapotherfoodtocookovercoalsortosteam.

OtherUses:Use the leaves tocover sheltersor tomakea raincloak.Cut theleaves into liners for shoes; this works especially well if you have a blister.Fashion temporary sandals from the ti leaves. The terminal leaf, if notcompletelyunfurled,canbeusedasasterilebandage.Cuttheleavesintostrips,thenbraidthestripsintorope.

TreefernVariousgeneraDescription:Treefernsaretalltreeswithlong,slendertrunksthatoftenhaveavery rough, barklike covering. Large, lacy leaves uncoil from the top of thetrunk.

HabitatandDistribution:Treefernsarefoundinwet,tropicalforests.

Edible Parts: The young leaves and the soft inner portion of the trunk areedible.Boiltheyoungleavesandeatasgreens.Eattheinnerportionofthetrunkraworbakeit.

TropicalalmondTerminaliacatappaDescription: This tree grows up to 9 meters tall. Its leaves are evergreen,leathery,45centimeterslong,15centimeterswide,andveryshiny.Ithassmall,yellowish-green flowers. Its fruit is flat, 10 centimeters long, and not quite aswide.Thefruitisgreenwhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Thistreeisusuallyfoundgrowingneartheocean.It

is a common and often abundant tree in theCaribbean andCentral andSouthAmerica. It is also found in the tropical rain forests of southeastern Asia,northernAustralia,andPolynesia.

Edible Parts: The seed is a good source of food. Remove the fleshy, greencoveringandeattheseedraworcooked.

WalnutJuglansspeciesDescription:Walnuts growon very large trees, often reaching 18meters tall.Thedividedleavescharacterizeallwalnutspades.Thewalnutitselfhasathickouterhuskthatmustberemovedtoreachthehardinnershellofthenut.

HabitatandDistribution:TheEnglishwalnut,inthewildstate,isfoundfrom

southeastern Europe across Asia to China and is abundant in the Himalayas.SeveralotherspeciesofwalnutarefoundinChinaandJapan.TheblackwalnutiscommonintheeasternUnitedStates.

EdibleParts:Thenutkernelripensintheautumn.Yougetthewalnutmeatbycracking the shell.Walnutmeats are highly nutritious because of their proteinandoilcontent.

OtherUses:Youcanboilwalnutsandusethejuiceasanantifungalagent.Thehusksof“green”walnutsproduceadarkbrowndyeforclothingorcamouflage.Crushthehusksof“green”blackwalnutsandsprinklethemintosluggishwaterorpondsforuseasfishpoison.

Waterchestnut

TrapanatansDescription:Thewaterchestnutisanaquaticplantthatrootsinthemudandhasfinelydivided leaves thatgrowunderwater. Its floating leavesaremuch largerand coarsely toothed. The fruits, borne underwater, have four sharp spines onthem.

HabitatandDistribution:Thewaterchestnutisafreshwaterplantonly.ItisanativeofAsiabuthasspreadtomanypartsoftheworldinbothtemperateandtropicalareas.

EdibleParts:Thefruitsareediblerawandcooked.Theseedsarealsoasourceoffood.

Waterlettuce

CeratopterisspeciesDescription: The leaves of water lettuce are much like lettuce and are verytenderandsucculent.Oneoftheeasiestwaysofdistinguishingwaterlettuceisby the little plantlets that grow from the margins of the leaves. These littleplantlets grow in the shape of a rosette.Water lettuce plants often cover largeareasintheregionswheretheyarefound.

Habitat andDistribution: Found in the tropics throughout theOldWorld inboth Africa and Asia. Another kind is found in the NewWorld tropics fromFloridatoSouthAmerica.Waterlettucegrowsonlyinverywetplacesandoftenas a floatingwater plant. Look forwater lettuce in still lakes, ponds, and thebackwatersofrivers.

EdibleParts:Eatthefreshleaveslikelettuce.Becarefulnottodiptheleavesinthecontaminatedwaterinwhichtheyaregrowing.Eatonlytheleavesthatarewelloutofthewater.

CAUTION

Thisplanthascarcinogenicpropertiesandshouldonlybeusedasalastresort.

WaterlilyNymphaeaodorataDescription:Theseplantshavelarge,triangularleavesthatfloatonthewater’ssurface, large, fragrant flowers that areusuallywhite,or red, and thick, fleshyrhizomesthatgrowinthemud.

Habitat and Distribution: Water lilies are found throughout much of thetemperateandsubtropicalregions.

EdibleParts: The flowers, seeds, and rhizomes are edible rawor cooked.Toprepare rhizomes for eating, peel off the corky rind. Eat raw, or slice thinly,allowtodry,andthengrindintoflour.Dry,parch,andgrindtheseedsintoflour.

OtherUses:Usetheliquidresultingfromboilingthethickenedrootinwaterasamedicinefordiarrheaandasagargleforsorethroats.

WaterplantainAlismaplantago-aquaticaDescription:Thisplanthas small,white flowers andheart-shaped leaveswithpointedtips.Theleavesareclusteredatthebaseoftheplant.

HabitatandDistribution:Lookforthisplantinfreshwaterandinwet,fullsunareasinTemperateandTropicalZones.

EdibleParts:Therootstocksareagoodsourceofstarch.Boilorsoaktheminwatertoremovethebittertaste.

CAUTION

Toavoidparasites,alwayscookaquaticplants.

WildcaperCapparisaphyllaDescription:This isa thornyshrubthat loses its leavesduring thedryseason.Itsstemsaregray-greenanditsflowers,pink.

Habitat andDistribution:These shrubs form large stands in scrub and thornforestsandindesertscrubandwaste.TheyarecommonthroughoutNorthAfricaandtheMiddleEast.

EdibleParts:Thefruitandthebudsofyoungshootsareedibleraw.

WildcrabappleorwildappleMalusspeciesDescription: Most wild apples look enough like domestic apples that thesurvivorcaneasilyrecognizethem.Wildapplevarietiesaremuchsmallerthancultivatedkinds;thelargestkindsusuallydonotexceed5to7.5centimetersindiameter, and most often less. They have small, alternate, simple leaves andoften have thorns. Their flowers are white or pink and their fruits reddish oryellowish.

HabitatandDistribution:Theyarefoundinthesavannaregionsofthetropics.

Intemperateareas,wildapplevarietiesarefoundmainlyinforestedareas.Mostfrequently, they are found on the edge ofwoods or in fields. They are foundthroughoutthenorthernhemisphere.

EdibleParts:Preparewildapples foreating in thesamemannerascultivatedkinds.Eatthemfresh,whenripe,orcooked.Shouldyouneedtostorefood,cuttheapplesintothinslicesanddrythem.Theyareagoodsourceofvitamins.

CAUTION

Appleseedscontaincyanidecompounds.Donoteat.

WilddesertgourdorcolocynthCitrulluscolocynthisDescription: The wild desert gourd, a member of the watermelon family,producesa2.4-to3-meter-longground-trailingvine.Theperfectlyroundgourdsareaslargeasanorange.Theyareyellowwhenripe.

Habitat and Distribution: This creeping plant can be found in any climaticzone, generally in desert scrub and waste areas. It grows abundantly in theSahara,inmanyArabcountries,onthesoutheasterncoastofIndia,andonsomeoftheislandsoftheAegeanSea.Thewilddesertgourdwillgrowinthehottestlocalities.

Edible Parts: The seeds inside the ripe gourd are edible after they arecompletely separated from the very bitter pulp. Roast or boil the seeds; their

kernels are rich in oil.The flowers are edible.The succulent stem tips can bechewedtoobtainwater.

WilddockandwildsorrelRumexcrispusandRumexacetosellaDescription:Wilddockisastoutplantwithmostofitsleavesatthebaseofitsstem that is commonly 15 to 30 centimeters brig. The plants usually developfrom a strong, fleshy, carrotlike taproot. Its flowers are usually very small,growingingreentopurplishplumelikeclusters.Wildsorrelsimilartothewilddockbut smaller.Manyof the basal leaves are arrow-shapedbut smaller thanthoseofthedockandcontainasourjuice.

Habitat and Distribution: These plants can be found in almost all climaticzonesoftheworld,inareasofhighaswellaslowrainfall.Manykindsarefoundasweedsinfields,alongroadsides,andinwasteplaces.

EdibleParts:Becauseoftendernatureofthefoliage,thesorrelandthedockareusefulplants,especiallyindesertareas.Youcaneattheirsucculentleavesfreshorslightlycooked.Totakeawaythestrongtaste,changethewateronceortwiceduringcooking.This latter tip isausefulhint inpreparingmanykindsofwildgreens.

WildfigFicusspeciesDescription: These trees have alternate, simple leaves with entire margins.Often, the leavesaredarkgreenandshiny.All figshaveamilky,sticky juice.The fruits vary in size dependingon the species, but are usually yellowbrownwhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Figsareplantsofthetropicsandsemitropics.Theygrow in several different habitats, including dense forests, margins of forests,andaroundhumansettlements.

EdibleParts:Thefruitsareedibleraworcooked.Somefigshavelittleflavor.

WildgourdorluffaspongeLuffacylindrica

Description:Theluffaspongeiswidelydistributedandfairlytypicalofawild

squash.Thereareseveraldozenkindsofwildsquashesintropicalregions.Likemostsquashes,theluffaisavinewithleaves7.5to20centimetersacrosshaving3 lobes.Some squasheshave leaves twice this size.Luffa fruits areoblongorcylindrical,smooth,andmany-seeded.Luffaflowersarebrightyellow.Theluffafruit,whenmature,isbrownandresemblesthecucumber.

HabitatandDistribution:Amemberofthesquashfamily,whichalsoincludesthewatermelon,cantaloupe,andcucumber,theluffaspongeiswidelycultivatedthroughout the Tropical Zone. It may be found in a semiwild state in oldclearings and abandoned gardens in rain forests and semievergreen seasonalforests.

EdibleParts:Youcanboil theyounggreen(half-ripe)fruitandeat themasavegetable.Addingcoconutmilkwillimprovetheflavor.Afterripening,theluffaspongedevelops an inedible spongelike texture in the interior of the fruit.Youcan also eat the tender shoots, flowers, and young leaves after cooking them.Roastthematureseedsalittleandeatthemlikepeanuts.

WildgrapevineVitisspeciesDescription: Thewild grape vine climbswith the aid of tendrils.Most grapevinesproducedeeply lobed leaves similar to thecultivatedgrape.Wildgrapesgrowinpyramidal,hangingbunchesandareblack-bluetoamber,orwhitewhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Wildgrapesaredistributedworldwide.Somekindsarefoundindeserts,othersintemperateforests,andothersintropicalareas.Wildgrapesarecommonly found throughout theeasternUnitedStatesaswell as inthe southwestern desert areas. Most kinds are rampant climbers over othervegetation. The best place to look forwild grapes is on the edges of forestedareas.WildgrapesarealsofoundinMexico.IntheOldWorld,wildgrapesarefoundfromtheMediterraneanregioneastwardthroughAsia,theEastIndies,andtoAustralia.Africaalsohasseveralkindsofwildgrapes.

Edible Parts: The ripe grape is the portion eaten. Grapes are rich in naturalsugars and, for this reason, aremuch sought after as a sourceof energygivingwildfood.Nonearepoisonous.

OtherUses:Youcanobtainwater fromseveredgrapevinestems.Cutoff thevineat thebottomandplace thecutend inacontainer.Makea slant-wisecutintothevineabout1.8metersuponthehangingpart.Thiscutwillallowwatertoflowfromthebottomend.Aswaterdiminishesinvolume,makeadditionalcutsfurtherdownthevine.

CAUTION

To avoid poisoning, do not eat grapelike fruits with only a singleseed(moonseed).

WildonionandgarlicAlliumspeciesDescription:Alliumcernuumisanexampleofthemanyspeciesofwildonionsandgarlics,alleasilyrecognizedbytheirdistinctiveodor.

Habitat andDistribution:Wild onions and garlics are found in open, sunnyareasthroughoutthetemperateregions.Cultivatedvarietiesarefoundanywhereintheworld.

EdibleParts:Thebulbsandyoungleavesareedibleraworcooked.Useinsouportoflavormeat.

CAUTION

There are several plants with onionlike bulbs that are extremelypoisonous.Becertainthattheplantyouareusingisatrueonionorgarlic.Donoteatbulbswithnoonionsmell.

OtherUses:Eatinglargequantitiesofonionswillgiveyourbodyanodorthatwillhelptorepelinsects.Garlicjuiceworksasanantibioticonwounds.

Wildpistachio

PistaciaspeciesDescription:Somekindsofpistachiotreesareevergreen,whileotherslosetheirleavesduring thedry season.The leavesalternateon the stemandhaveeitherthreelargeleavesoranumberofleaflets.Thefruitsornutsareusuallyhardanddryatmaturity.

HabitatandDistribution:Aboutsevenkindsofwildpistachionutsarefoundindesert,orsemidesertareassurroundingtheMediterraneanSeatoTurkeyandAfghanistan.Itisgenerallyfoundinevergreenscrubforestsorscrubandthornforests.

EdibleParts:Youcaneattheoilnutkernelsafterparchingthemovercoals.

Wildrice

ZizaniaaquaticaDescription:Wildriceisatallgrassthataverages1to1.5metersinheight,butmayreach4.5meters.Itsgraingrowsinverylooseheadsatthetopoftheplantandisdarkbrownorblackishwhenripe.

HabitatandDistribution:Wild ricegrowsonly inverywet areas in tropicalandtemperateregions.

EdibleParts:During the spring and summer, the central portionof the lowersterns and root shoots are edible. Remove the tough covering before eating.Duringthelatesummerandfail,collectthestraw-coveredhusks.Dryandparchthehusks,breakthem,andremovetherice.Boilorroastthericeandthenbeatitintoflour.

WildroseRosaspeciesDescription:Thisshrubgrows60centimetersto2.5metershigh.Ithasalternateleavesandsharpprickles.Itsflowersmaybered,pink,oryellow.Itsfruit,calledrosehip,staysontheshrubyear-round.

Habitat andDistribution: Look forwild roses in dry fields and openwoodsthroughoutthenorthernhemisphere.

EdibleParts:Theflowersandbudsareedibleraworboiled.Inanemergency,youcanpeelandeattheyoungshoots.Youcanboilfresh,youngleavesinwatertomakea tea.After the flowerpetals fall,eat the rosehips; thepulp ishighlynutritiousandanexcellentsourceofvitaminC.Crushorgrinddriedrosehipstomakeflour.

CAUTION

Eatonly theouterportionof thefruitas theseedsofsomespeciesarequitepricklyandcancauseinternaldistress.

WoodsorrelOxalisspeciesDescription:Woodsorrel resemblesshamrockor four-leafclover,withabell-shapedpink,yellow,orwhiteflower.

Habitat and Distribution: Wood sorrel is found in Temperate Zonesworldwide,inlawns,openareas,andsunnywoods.

EdibleParts:Cooktheentireplant.

CAUTION

Eat only small amounts of this plant as it contains a fairly highconcentrationofoxalicacidthatcanbeharmful.

YamDioscoreaspeciesDescription: These plants are vines that creep along the ground. They havealternate, heart-or arrow-shaped leaves.Their rootstockmaybevery large andweighmanykilograms.

Habitat andDistribution: True yams are restricted to tropical regionswherethey are an important food crop. Look for yams in fields, clearings, and

abandoned gardens. They are found in rain forests, semievergreen seasonalforests,andscrubandthornforestsinthetropics.Inwarm,temperateareas,theyarefoundinseasonalhardwoodormixedhardwood-coniferousforests,aswellassomemountainousareas.

EdibleParts:Boiltherootstockandeatitasavegetable.

YambeanPachyrhizuserosusDescription: The yam bean is a climbing plant of the bean family, withalternate, three-parted leaves and a turniplike root. The bluish or purplishflowersarepealikeinshape.Theplantsareoftensorampantthattheycoverthevegetationuponwhichtheyaregrowing.

HabitatandDistribution:TheyambeanisnativetotheAmericantropics,butit was carried by man years ago to Asia and the Pacific islands. Now it iscommonlycultivatedintheseplaces,andisalsofoundgrowingwildinforestedareas.Thisplantgrowsinwetareasoftropicalregions.

EdibleParts:Thetubersareaboutthesizeofaturnipandtheyarecrisp,sweet,and juicy and have a nutty flavor. They are nourishing and at the same time

quenchthethirst.Eatthemraworboiled.Tomakeflour,slicetherawtubers,letthemdryinthesun,andgrindintoaflourthatishighinstarchandmaybeusedtothickensoup.

CAUTION

Therawseedsarepoisonous.

POISONOUSPLANTS

Plants can poison on contact, ingestion, or by absorption or inhalation.Theycausepainful skin irritationsuponcontact, theycause internalpoisoningwheneaten, and they poison through skin absorption or inhalation in respiratorysystem. Many edible plants have deadly relatives and look-alikes. Positiveidentificationofedibleplantswilleliminatethedangerofaccidentalpoisoning.Thereisnoroomforexperimentationwhereplantsareconcerned,especiallyinunfamiliarterritory.

Castorbean,castor-oilplant,palmaChristiRicinuscommunis

Spurge(Euphorbiaceae)Family

Description:Thecastorbeanisasemiwoodyplantwithlarge,alternate,starlikeleaves that grows as a tree in tropical regions and as an annual in temperateregions.Itsflowersareverysmallandinconspicuous.Itsfruitsgrowinclustersatthetopsoftheplants.

CAUTION

Allpartsoftheplantareverypoisonoustoeat.Theseedsarelargeandmaybemistakenforabeanlikefood.

Habitat andDistribution: This plant is found in all tropical regions and hasbeenintroducedtotemperateregions.

ChinaberryMeliaazedarachMahogany(Meliaceae)Family

Description:Thistreehasaspreadingcrownandgrowsupto14meterstall.Ithasalternate,compoundleaveswithtoothedleaflets.Itsflowersarelightpurplewithadarkcenterandgrowinball-likemasses.Ithasmarblesizedfruitsthatarelightorangewhenfirstformedbutturnlighterastheybecomeolder.

CAUTION

All parts of the tree should be considered dangerous if eaten. Itsleaves are a natural insecticide and will repel insects from storedfruitsandgrains.Takecarenot toeat leavesmixedwiththestoredfood.

Habitat andDistribution: Chinaberry is native to theHimalayas and easternAsia but is now planted as an ornamental tree throughout the tropical andsubtropicalregions.IthasbeenintroducedtothesouthernUnitedStatesandhasescapedtothickets,oldfields,anddisturbedareas.

Cowhage,cowage,cowitchMucunapruritumLeguminosae(Fabaceae)Family

Description:Avinelikeplantthathasovalleafletsingroupsofthreeandhairy

spikeswithdullpurplishflowers.Theseedsarebrown,hairypods.

CAUTION

If the pods or flowers make contact with the eyes, irritation orblindnessmayoccur.

HabitatandDistribution:TropicalareasandtheUnitedStates.

Deathcamas,deathlilyZigadenusspecies

Lily(Liliaceae)Family

Description:Thisplantarisesfromabulbandmaybemistakenforanonionlikeplant. Its leaves are grasslike. Its flowers are six-parted and the petals have agreen,heart-shapedstructureonthem.Theflowersgrowonshowystalksabovetheleaves.

CAUTION

All parts of this plant are very poisonous. Death camas does nothavetheonionsmell.

HabitatandDistribution:Deathcamasisfoundinwet,open,sunnyhabitats,althoughsomespeciesfavordry,rockyslopes.TheyarecommoninpartsofthewesternUnitedStates.SomespeciesarefoundintheeasternUnitedStatesandinpartsoftheNorthAmericanwesternsubarcticandeasternSiberia.

LantanaLantanacamaraVervain(Verbenaceae)Family

Description:Lantana is a shrublike plant thatmaygrowup to 45 centimetershigh.Ithasopposite,roundleavesandflowersborneinflat-toppedclusters.Theflower color (which varies in different areas) may be white, yellow, orange,pink,orred.Ithasadarkblueorblack,berry-likefruit.Adistinctivefeatureofallpartsofthisplantisitsstrongscent.

CAUTION

Allpartsof thisplantarepoisonous ifeatenandcanbefatal.Thisplantcausesdermatitisinsomeindividuals.

HabitatandDistribution:Lantana is grownas anornamental in tropical andtemperateareasandhasescapedcultivationasaweedalongroadsandoldfields.

ManchineelHippomanemancinellaSpurge(Euphorbiaceae)Family

Description:Manchineelisatreereachingupto15metershighwithalternate,shinygreen leavesandspikesof smallgreenish flowers. Its fruitsaregreenorgreenish-yellowwhenripe.

CAUTION

This tree is extremely toxic. It causes severe dermatitis in mostindividuals after only a half hour. Even water dripping from theleavesmaycausedermatitis.Thesmokefromburningitirritatestheeyes.Nopartofthisplantshouldbeconsideredafood.

Habitat and Distribution: The tree prefers coastal regions. Found in southFlorida,theCaribbean,CentralAmerica,andnorthernSouthAmerica.

OleanderNeriumoleanderDogbane(Apocynaceae)Family

Description:This shrubor small treegrows to about9meters,with alternate,verystraight,darkgreenleaves.Itsflowersmaybewhite,yellow,red,pink,orintermediatecolors.Itsfruitisabrown,podlikestructurewithmanysmallseeds.

CAUTION

Allpartsof theplantareverypoisonous.Donotuse thewoodforcooking;itgivesoffpoisonousfumesthatcanpoisonfood.

HabitatandDistribution:ThisnativeoftheMediterraneanareaisnowgrownasanornamentalintropicalandtemperateregions.

PangiPangiumedulePangiFamily

Description:This tree,withheart-shaped leaves inspirals, reachesaheightof18meters.Itsflowersgrowinspikesandaregreenincolor.Itslarge,brownish,pear-shapedfruitsgrowinclusters.

CAUTION

Allpartsarepoisonous,especiallythefruit.

HabitatandDistribution:PangitreesgrowinsoutheastAsia

PhysicnutJatrophacurcasSpurge(Euphoriaceae)Family

Description:Thisshruborsmalltreehaslarge,3-to5-partedalternateleaves.Ithas small, greenish-yelllow flowers and its yellow, apple-sized fruits containthreelargeseeds.

CAUTION

Theseedstastesweetbuttheiroilisviolentlypurgative.Allpartsofthephysicnutarepoisonous.

HabitatandDistribution:ThroughoutthetropicsandsouthernUnitedStates.

Poisonhemlock,fool’sparsleyConiummaculatumParsley(Apiaceae)Family

Description: This biennial herb may grow to 2.5 meters high. The smooth,hollow stem may or may not be purple or red striped or mottled. Its whiteflowers are small and grow in small groups that tend to form flat umbels. Its

long,turnipliketaprootissolid.

CAUTION

This plant is very poisonous and even a very small amount maycausedeath.ThisplantiseasytoconfusewithwildcarrotorQueenAnne’s lace, especially in its first stage of growth.Wild carrot orQueenAnne’slacehashairyleavesandstemsandsmellslikecarrot.Poisonhemlockdoesnot.

HabitatandDistribution:Poisonhemlockgrows inwetormoistground likeswamps,wetmeadows,streambanks,andditches.NativetoEurasia,ithasbeenintroducedtotheUnitedStatesandCanada.

PoisonivyandpoisonoakToxicodendronradicansandToxicodendrondiversibbaCashew(Anacardiacese)Family

Description: These two plants are quite similar in appearance and will oftencrossbreed tomakeahybrid.Bothhavealternate, compound leaveswith threeleaflets.Theleavesofpoisonivyaresmoothorserrated.Poisonoak’sleavesarelobedandresembleoakleaves.Poisonivygrowsasavinealongthegroundorclimbs by red feeder roots. Poison oak grows like a bush.The greenish-whiteflowersaresmallandinconspicuousandarefollowedbywaxygreenberriesthatturnwaxywhiteoryellow,thengray.

CAUTION

All parts, at all times of the year, can cause serious contactdermatitis.

Habitat and Distribution: Poison ivy and oak can be found in almost anyhabitatinNorthAmerica.

PoisonsumacToxicodendronvernixCashew(Anacardiacese)Family

Description: Poison sumac is a shrub that grows to 8.5 meters tall. It hasalternate, pinnately compound leafstalks with 7 to 13 leaflets. Flowers are

greenish-yellow and inconspicuous and are followed by white or pale yellowberries.

CAUTION

Allpartscancauseseriouscontactdermatitisatalltimesoftheyear.

Habitat andDistribution: Poison sumac grows only inwet, acid swamps inNorthAmerica.

Renghastree,rengastree,markingnut,black-varnishtreeGlutaCashew(Anacardiacese)Family

Description: This family comprises about 48 species of trees or shrubs withalternatingleavesinterminaloraxillarypanicles.Flowersaresimilartothoseofpoisonivyandoak.

CAUTION

Cancausecontactdermatitissimilartopoisonivyandoak.

HabitatandDistribution:India,easttoSoutheastAsia.

Rosarypeaorcrab’seyesAbrusprecatoriusLeguminosae(Fabaceae)Family

Description:Thisplantisavinewithalternatingcompoundleaves,lightpurpleflowers,andbeautifulseedsthatareredandblack.

CAUTION

This plant is one of the most dangerous plants. One seed may

containenoughpoisontokillanadult.

HabitatandDistribution:ThisisacommonweedinpartsofAfrica,southernFlorida,Hawaii,Guam,theCaribbean,andCentralandSouthAmerica.

StrychninetreeNuxvomicaLogania(Loganiaceae)Family

Description:Thestrychninetreeisamedium-sizedevergreen,reachingaheightofabout12meters,withathick,frequentlycrookedtrunk.Itsdeeplyveinedovalleavesgrowinalternatepairs.Small,looseclustersofgreenishflowersappearatthe ends of branches and are followed by fleshy, orange-red berries about 4centimetersindiameter.

CAUTION

The berries contain the dislike seeds that yield the poisonoussubstancestrychnine.Allpartsoftheplantarepoisonous.

Habitat and Distribution: A native of the tropics and subtropics of south-easternAsiaandAustralia.

TrumpetvineortrumpetcreeperCampsisradicansTrumpetcreeper(Bignoniaceae)Family

Description:Thiswoodyvinemayclimbto15metershigh.Ithaspealikefruitcapsules. The leaves are pinnately compound, 7 to 11 toothed leaves per leafstock.Thetrumpet-shapedflowersareorangetoscarletincolor.

CAUTION

Thisplantcausescontactdermatitis.

Habitat and Distribution: This vine is found in wet woods and thicketsthroughouteasternandcentralNorthAmerica.

WaterhemlockorspottedcowbaneCicutamaculataParsley(Apiaceae)Family

Description: This perennial herb may grow to 1.8 meters high. The stem ishollowandsectionedofflikebamboo.Itmayormaynotbepurpleorredstripedormottled.Itsflowersaresmall,white,andgrowingroupsthattendtoformflatumbels. Its rootsmay have hollow air chambers and,when cut,may producedropsofyellowoil.

CAUTION

Thisplant isverypoisonousandevenavery small amountof thisplantmaycausedeath.Itsrootshavebeenmistakenforparsnips.

Habitat andDistribution:Water hemlockgrows inwet ormoist ground likeswamps,wetmeadows,streambanks,andditches throughout theUnitesStatesandCanada.