D. (loritense) spruceanum--food

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2006.03.17 at 10:11:47(13964) Reply-To : Discussion of aroids Sent : Thursday, March 16, 2006 10:37 PM To : "Discussion of aroids" Subject : Re: [Aroid-l] FW: D. (loritense) spruceanum fruit. Dear Marek, Nothing 'terrible' here, just a sharing of information which builds knowledge amongst us all! Yes, the rhizomes/tubers ("chubas"!!) of several species of Dracontium were and still are consumed, when cooked, throughout much of their range, either roasted or boiled. I have had the pleasure of collecting, cooking and eating those of Drac. asperum back in my native Trinidad, W.I. My report was that when boiled they were much like a wettish/sticky form of taro, but eminently edible, especially if cooked within a pea soup!! My dear friend and mentor Dr. Tom Croat of MOBOT, and myself, have had several 'battle royals' over my suggestion that ancient man probably used this genus, together with Xanthosoma and other non-aroids, as a canoe 'journey food', and so it was transported by them up the chain of West Indian islands all the way (according to existing herbarium records) from the South American mainland up the chain of smaller islands to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In addition, also according to herbarium records, the widely distributed species D. spruceanum, is the only Dracontium sp. recorded in the wild from both the Amazonian and Pacific sides of the Andes, and up into Cen. America!! It (as in your record) is still widely consumed by indigenous peoples in several areas where it is found, and is easily transportable and a long-lasting "journey food". The genus is also a PERFECT candidate to establish itself in new areas once man stops to cook it, as the small bulbils which exist on all rhizomes, will detach and grow where they fall. Ancient man would also have found it benificial to help it establish itself in new lands along his frequently travelled journey routs. Thanks for your interest and response! One more mystery solved! Good Growing, Julius +More Dear Julius, What a terrible mistake I've made. Not fruits - the rhizomes. You may read it here http://www.rain-tree.com/jergon.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julius Boos" To: Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 11:42 AM Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] FW: D. (loritense) spruceanum fruit. From : Abrimaal Reply-To : Discussion of aroids Sent : Sunday, March 12, 2006 5:16 PM To : "Discussion of aroids" Subject : Re: [Aroid-l] FW: Anthurium fruit edibility Hello Marek, [D. 'loritense' is now a synonem of D. spruceanum, the review of Dracontium by Zhu and Croat (2004) makes this clear.] I`d be VERY interested in knowing the actual source of this report of the fruit of this species of Dracontium being edible after cooking, as the structure of all Dracontium sps. fruit that I am aware of would seem to make this unlikely, and most species produce smallish and few seeds, very little 'reward'.. The one species I managed to sample when ripe ( D. soconoscum (??), at John Banta`s place YEARS ago) consisted of, per fruit, a LITTLE fleshy, juicy, sweet-tasting pulp enclosed in thickish yellowish skin over a smallish seed, there was little 'substance' beside a good flavor in the fruit, which seemed to ripen a very few at a time, or even in the entire infructesence, that could be cooked and eaten. The only seeds of an aroid that I am aware of that are cooked (roasted) and eaten are those from Montrichardia sp., our own Pete Boyce assures me that when he sampled them, in the company of indigenous people in the Amazon, that they were delicious. They are LARGE and many seeded, especially when harvested in quantity from the dense stands of this aroid, which would then provide a big enough 'reward' to be worthwhile. Good Growing, Julius Drancontium loretense's fruits are also edible after cooking. Marek<< ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julius Boos" To: Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 1:17 PM Subject: RE: [Aroid-l] FW: Anthurium fruit edibility Reply-To : Discussion of aroids Sent : Thursday, March 9, 2006 7:12 PM To : aroid-l@gizmoworks.com Subject : [Aroid-l] FW: anthurium scandens Dear Folks, Concerning the edibility of Anthurium scandens fruits, the answer would be yes, they are edible, but you would get very little 'reward' except for a flavor and lots of skin/seeds for your efforts w/ this genus/species, which is most probably distributed by birds (and bats??) in nature. The genus Monstera, species deliciosa, is better suited for eating by humans, though there are some real dangers if one does not know the correct time and method of eating these fruits!! This genus has probably evolved so that larger monkeys and fruit bats are its major seed distributors. There is a wonderful clip on public TV of a spider monkey feasting on the ripe fruit of Philodendron goeldii WAY up in the jungle canopy. I have experimented and found that when ripe, many aroid fruit have a delicous/good flavor, even the odd-ball genera such as Dracontium (some species) and Synandrospadix (reputidly a very 'bad' plant to fool around with, at least the tubers and leaves). If I am not mistaken, our mentor Dr. Tom Croat of MOBOT first reported that even the fruit of the dreaded Dieffenbachia ('dumb cane') were very sweet and fruity to the taste when ripe!! Lynn Hannon and myself tested his hypothois when visiting Joep Moonen in Fr. Guyana, and found this to be correct, at least in one Dieffenbachia species that we encountered! We must keep in mind the 'why' of these plants' fruit tasting 'good'. The method of their distribution in nature to other suitable growing places depends of them being eaten by mammals and birds, so color (for the birds, as I am not aware of how much taste perception birds may posses) and taste (for the monkeys, bats and other mammals) are the soloution to their continuing distribution and survival in nature. Good growing, Julius I guess this was meant to be sent to the aroid-L...... Good growing, Bernhard. There is an anthurium scandens here in the greenhouse with attractive berries....i have take one to see the flavour,and it's seem very sweet,and it is.....So are the fruit of a scandens edible,or should i have to die nearly?....(hehehe) Are some anthuriums know for his edible fruits? ------------------------- Dear Lord P.(lanttaxonomist)thanks for this final identification!Yours,Bernhard.-----Original Message-----> Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 16:14:42 +0100> Subject: RE: [Aroid-l] Amorph Identification> From: "Wilbert Hetterscheid" > To: "'Discussion of aroids'" > Hi Bernhard,> > This is Am. lambii indeed.> > Cheerio,> Wilbert_______________________________________________Aroid-l mailing listAroid-l@gizmoworks.comhttp://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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