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of a man's arm. In winter they are, taken, and an excellent
starch is prepared from them. It is used as food or paste. The
vine is used to make baskets, and its fibre is taken for cloth. The
leaves are used to feed cattle.
252. Trichosanth.es cucumeroides, Ser., Jap.
Karasu-itri, Tama-dzusa ; a perennial climbing plant of the
order Cucurbitaceae growing wild every-where. The leaves are
3-5 lobed and hairy on the surface. The male and female
flowers are on the different vines. In summer white flowers open,
succeded by fruits of the size of a duck's egg. In winter they are
taken and dried to be used for washing instead of soap. The
seeds have a form as a clasped letter paper, whence derived the
name Tamadsnsa (letter). In winter the roots are collected to
make starch.
253. Trichosanthes japonica, Regel., Jap. Kikarasu-
nri, Gorl ; a perennial climbing plant of the order Cucurbitaceae
growing wild everywhere The barren and fertile flowers open on
the different plants. It resembles very much the preceding, but
the leaves are lustrous on the surface and the fruits arc twice as-
large when they ripe. The young fruits are eaten preserved in
or salt. In winter the roots are collected and made into
soy
starch called Teiikwa-fun.
254. Dioscorea japonica, 77/., var. bulbifera, Jap.
Kashin-iino, Ke-imo ; a perennial climbing plant of the order
l)iosc