Martynia fragrans, Martynia lutea, Martynia proboscidea.

Martynia fragrans Lindl. Pedalineae.

Mexico. The Apache Indians gather the half-mature seed-pods of this plant and cook them. The pods when, ripe are armed with two sharp, horn-like projections and, being softened and split open, are used on braided work to ornament willow baskets.

Martynia lutea Lindl.

Brazil. This species, originally from Brazil, has yellow flowers. It does not appear to be in American gardens nor is its seed advertised by our seedsmen. It reached Europe in 1824. It is described by Vilmorin as under kitchen-garden culture.

Martynia proboscidea Glox. Martynia. Unicorn Plant.

Southwestern North America and now naturalized in northeastern America. Martynia is in cultivation in our gardens for its seed-pods, which when young are used for pickling. These seed-pods are green, very downy or hairy, fleshy, oval, an inch and a half in their greatest diameters and taper to a long, slender, incurved horn or beak. It is mentioned under American cultivation in 1841. Martynia was known in England as a plant of ornament in 1738 but has, even yet, scarcely entered the kitchen-garden.

Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World, 1919, was edited by U. P. Hedrick.