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OK THE NOETH-ATTSTRALTAN EXPEDITION. 143 



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" gorean Bean, it is needless to repeat here the uses of a plant which 

 has been famous since the remotest antiquity. During the greater 

 part of the journey, we were more or less extensively supplied 

 with indigenous fruits. Thus the acidulous drupes of three Me-^ 

 Haceous trees (belonging to a new genus of the Trichilious section); 

 the Nonda fruit of Dr. Leichbardt (now referred to Parmdrium^ 

 and also observed on the islands of Torres Strait), a small kind of 

 cucumber, a species of rose-apple (Jamlosa eucah/ptoides) ^ the 

 fruit of Mimusops KauJci (a plant restricted to the north-east coast), 

 that of a broad-leaved species of Terminalia, the berries of PAy- 

 ^(t'Us parvijlora, the small Lemon of the Brigalow Scrub {Triphasia 

 glaucd)^ the berries of Leichhardt's bread-tree (6rardfewMf edulis); 

 all these were periodically enjoyed, and added often to our diet 

 those vegetable components so essentially reguired in the torrid 

 zone. In this regard, we had almost daily occasion to praise the 

 value of the purslane {Portulaca oleracea)^ which not only occurred 

 in every part of the country explored, but also — principally in 

 the neighbourhood of rivers — often in the greatest abundance, 

 t ; We found it, in sandy and grassy localities, so agreeably aci- 

 dulous, as to use it for food without any preparation ; and I have 



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reason to attribute the continuance of our health, partially to the 

 constant use of this valualile plant. The absence of other anti- 

 scorbutic herbs in the north, and the facility with which it may 

 be gathered, entitle it to particular notice. v 



The Australian spinach {Chenopodium erosnm), the New Zea- 

 landian {Tetragonia expansa), and the watercresses {Nmturtinm 

 terrestre and Cardamine hirsuta), which are in utility equal to the 

 purslane, are almost confined to East Australia. 



The clustered fig, the produce of a seemingly undescribed ar- 

 borescent Ficm, proved second in importance only to the Por- 

 tulaca^ but was rarely available, except along the rivers of East 

 and North-east Australia ; and the native Mulberry {Morns Calcar 

 galli) was nowhere noticed except on the subtropical i^ortion of 

 the east coast. The tender parts of the stem, and the base of the 

 leaves of CymUdium canaliculatvm^ the only orchid of the interior of 

 If, tropical Australia, aflforded a mucilaginous food j and the foliage of 

 a Sihiscus, closely allied to R. heteraplyllm , served a^ a substitute 

 for sorrel. The gum of the Terminalias, StercuUas, and Acacias 

 ^as seldom obtained, perhaps only m consequence of a season 



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Jinfavourable for its exudation: inJ^&u; ft 



m Livistonia inermis and an allied species supplied us occasion- 



ally with palm-cabbage : a similar substance, yielded by the Screw- 





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