Re: Famine foods (was cycad)


Tony & Moira Ryan, Wainuiomata, New Zealand
Climate ( US Zone 9). Annual averages:-
Minimum -2°C; Maximum 28°C Rainfall 2000mm
----- Original Message ----- From: "B. Garcia" <paroxytone@gmail.com> 
To: <tomory@xtra.co.nz>
Cc: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: cycad



On 8/27/07, Tony and Moira <tomory@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
I obviously did not pursue my research far enough as I missed this. This is not the only potentially poisonous plant which yields an edible carbohydrate 
by special processing. The one commonly quoted is Cassava (Manihot) which
contains a cyanogenetic glycoside. This if not carefully got rid of can give 
rise in the eater to dangerous levels of cyanide which can cause severe
nervous diseases and sometimes goiter. Nevertheless it is widely grown and used especially in South America and parts of Africa. It has always amazed 
me that primitive people have managed to hit on ways of getting round the
poison in such crops. I suppose for many communities it was a case of hunger 
driving them to continue experimenting until they got it right.



There are several plants in California which are a source of
carbohydrates that have to be processed first to be edible. Quercus,
Aesculus, and Chlorogalum. Quercus seeds were ground into a fine
flour, and then leached with water. Some tribes would leave whole
seeds in a bag in a running stream, while others would bury the seeds
in boggy ground. Although, putting the flour in a sand lined pit and
pouring water into it was common (and fast way) or leaching out the
tannins.

Aesculus would be cooked, then sliced, and then soaked in a bag in a
running stream for several days. I've heard that it was a sort of
famine food. Chlorogalum bulbs (Soap Lilies) were roasted slowly until
edible.

Hi Barry
Acorns have been used as food from prehistoric times in most areas where they occur. Some at least can be used without leaching.but I am amazed to hear of _anybody_ eating Aesculus. I suppose if one was desperate in a famine one would try anything.
I was most interested to make the acquaintance of Chlorogalum, which I had not previouusly heard of.. It seems to be exclusively a genus of the USA and is I gather now assigned to the Agavaceae.
They did not as far as I could see in the extracts quoted by Google explain the common name Soap Lily, but I assume it is one of those plants like the European soapwort which will give a lather with water. Soapness could doubtless expalain why it would be only a "famine food".
Moira
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