Experts estimate that about 300,000 classified plants grow on the surface of the earth, including many

Figure 6-8.-Water chestnut.

that grow on mountaintops and ocean floors. Of these, 120,000 varieties are edible. Obviously, you will not be able to learn about all of these plants from reading this manual. But if you know what to look for in the area in which you find yourself stranded, can identify it, and know how to prepare it properly, you should find enough to eat to keep you alive. You may even surprise yourself with a delicious meal.

Although plants may not provide a balanced diet, especially in the Arctic where the heat-producing qualities of meat are essential, they will sustain you. Many plants, such as nuts and seeds, will give you enough protein for normal efficiency. All edible plants provide energy and calorie-giving carbohydrates. Plants are available everywhere to provide the necessary energy while you forage for wild meat. You can depend on them to keep you alive if you are injured and unarmed in enemy territory or in an area where wild life is not abundant.

It is generally safe to try wild plant foods if you see them being eaten by birds and animals; however, you find few plants of which every part is edible. In addition to the obvious sources of plant foods (fruits, nuts, berries, etc.), many plants have one or more identifiable parts that have considerable food value. For example, certain roots and other underground parts of plants are rich in starch and are excellent source of food. Some examples are the following:

Figure 6-9.-Nut grass.

1. WILD POTATO. This is an example of an edible tuber. The plant is small and found throughout the world, especially in the Tropics. (See fig. 6-6.)

2. SOLOMON'S SEAL. Tubers of Solomon's seal grow on small plants and are found in North America, Europe, northern Asia, and Jamaica. Boiled or roasted, they taste much like parsnips (fig. 6-7).

3. WATER CHESTNUT. The water chestnut is a native of Asia, but it has spread to both Tropical and Temperate areas of the world, including North America, Africa, and Australia. It is found as a free-floating plant on rivers, lakes, and ponds in quiet water. The plant covers large areas wherever it occurs and has two kinds of leaves-the submerged leaves that are long and rootlike and the feathery and the floating leaves that form a rosette on the surface of the water. The nuts borne beneath the water are an inch or two wide with strong spines that give them the appearance of a homed steer. The seed within the horny structure may be roasted or boiled. (See fig. 6-8.)

4. NUT GRASS. Nut grass is widespread in many parts of the world. Look for it in moist, sandy places along the margins of streams, ponds, and ditches. It occurs in both Tropical and Temperate climates. The grass differs from true grass because it has a three-angle stem and thick underground tubers that grow 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. These tubers are sweet and nutty. Boil, peel, and grind them into flour. This flour can be used as a coffee substitute. (See fig. 6-9.)

Figure 6-10.-Bulrush.

5. TARO. The taro grows in moist, forested regions of nearly all Tropical countries. Taro looks much like a calla lily with leaves up to 2 feet long and stems about 5 feet high. The bloom on this plant is a pale yellow flower about 15 inches long. It has an edible tuber growing slightly belowground level. This tuber must be boiled to destroy irritating crystals. After boiling the tuber, eat it like a potato.

6. BULRUSH. This familiar tall plant is found in North America, Africa, Australia, East Indies, and Malaya. It is usually present in wet, swampy areas. The roots and white stem base may be eaten cooked or raw. (See fig. 6-10.)

7. TI PLANT. This plant is found in Tropical climates, especially in the islands of the South Pacific. It is cultivated over wide areas of Tropical Asia. Both the wild and cultivated plants have coarse, shiny, leathery leaves arranged in crowded fashion at the tips of thick stems. The leaves are green and sometimes reddish. This plant grows a large plumelike cluster of flowers that usually droop. It bears berries that are red when ripe. The fleshy rootstalk is edible and full of startch, and it should be baked for best results.