44 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
“‘ Nardoo seeds are pounded by the above, placing a few in at 
atime with the left hand. The ‘tap-tap’ of the process may be 
heard in the camp far into the night at times.”’ 
All the colonies, except Tasmania. 
135. Melodorum Leichhardtii, Benth., (Syn. Unona Leichhardtit, 
F.v.M.), N.O., Anonacez, B.F1., i. 52. 
‘““ Merangara ” of the aboriginals. 
“This tree has an oblong or almost round fruit, with one or 
two seeds. It is eaten by the aborigines without any preparation.” 
(Thozet.) 
Northern New South Wales and Queensland. 
136. Mesembryanthemum equilaterale, aw., (Syn. IZ. glauces- 
cens, Haw.; M. Rossi, Haw.; MM. nigrescens, Haw.; MW. 
praecox, Haw.), N.O., Ficoidezx, B.FI., iii, 324. 
“Pig Faces.’’ ‘‘ Karkalla,” of the Port Lincoln (S.A.) aboriginals ; 
“*Katwort,” of the East Gippsland aborigines; ‘‘ Berudur,” of those of the 
Lachlan River (New South Wales). It was the ‘‘Canajong,” of the 
Tasmanian aboriginal. 
The fleshy fruit is eaten raw by the aborigines. The leaves 
are eaten baked. Wilhelmi, in Proc. R.S. Vict., 1860, gives an 
interesting account of the preparation of this substance for food 
by the Port Lincoln natives (S.A.): ‘“ Pressing the fruit (pigs’ 
faces) between their fingers, they drop the luscious juice into 
their mouth. During the ‘ Karkalla’ season, which lasts from 
January to the end of summer, the natives lead a comparatively 
easy life; they are free from any anxiety of hunger, as the plant 
grows in all parts of the country, and most abundantly on the 
sandy hills near the sea. ‘The men generally gather only as much 
as they want for the moment, but the women collect large 
quantities for eating after supper. The Port Lincoln blacks eat 
only the fruit of this plant, but those living between the Grampians 
and the Victorian ranges, as a substitute for salt with their meat, 
eat also the leaves of this saline plant.”’ 
All the colonies. 
