160 BOTANY OF CONGO.
Eorskal's Catalogue, or in the more extensive Flora Egyp- tiaca of M. Delile.
There is nothing very improbable in the supposition of Arachis hypogsea being indigenous to Asia, Africa, and even America ; but if it 1)e considered as originally belong- ing to one of those continents only, it is more likely to have been brought from China through India to Africa, than to have been carried in the opposite direction.
GIf/ci/ie subterrcoiea, however, Avhich is extensively culti- vated in Africa, Madagascar, and several parts of equinoctial America, is probably of African origin ; it is stated, at least both by Marcgraf and Piso, to have been introduced into Brazil from Angola or Congo.^
The IIoIcHs noticed by Captain Tuckey, of which the specimens in the herbarium do not enable me to determine whether it be a distinct species, or a variety only of //. sorglmm or saccharai/fs, may be considered as indigenous, or at least as belonging to Africa. According to Mr. Lockhart, it is very generally found wild, and it is only once mentioned as cultivated : it may, however, have been formerly cultivated, along Vruth other species of Millet, to a much greater extent ; its place being now supplied by the Maize, which gives probably both a more productive and a more certain crop.
The JDioscorea or bitter Yam, which was observed only in a wild state, may be presumed to be a native species ; and 474] if ever it has been cultivated, it may in like manner be supposed to have been superseded by the Manioc or Cassava.
The Saf((,^ which Mr. Lockhart understood from the natives was one of their most esteemed fruits, he observed to be very generally planted round the villages, especially from Embomma upwards, and to be carefully preserved from birds : its importance is perhaps increased from its ripening in October, a season when the general supply of vegetable food may be supposed to be scanty.
1 Mandubi d' Angola. Marcg. Hist. Nat. Brasit. 43. Mandobi, Piso, Hist. Nat. Bmsil. p. 256.
2 Probably the Zaffo of some of <be earlier accounts of Congo, vide Malie- Brim Precis de la Geogr. 5, /j. 9.
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