46 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
142. Muhlenbeckia adpressa, edssw., var. hastifolia, (Syn. 
M. Gunnit, Hook, f.; Polygonum adpressum, Hook, 1.), 
N.O., Polygonacez, B FI., v., 274. 
“Native Ivy.” ‘* Macquarie Harbour Vine or Grape,” of Tasmania. 
The currant-like fruits are sub-acid, and were, and perhaps 
still are used for tarts, puddings, and preserves ; the leaves taste 
like sorrel. 
All the colonies except Queensland. 
143. Mylitta australis, Berk., (Syn. Motihyvdnum australe, 
F.v.M.), N.O., Fungi. Muell. Fragm., xi., 101. 
‘© Truffles,” or ‘‘ Native Bread.” 
This insipid underground fungus is generally met with by 
accident. When growing rapidly it sometimes causes the ground 
to crack, and may thus be discovered by a careful observer, as it 
probably was by the aborigines, who used it as food. It should 
be boiled, though cooking changes its character but little. It is 
said to taste like boiled rice. It is, however, perfectly insipid. 
“The largest I have seen is about the size of a child’s head, 
but a much larger one was dug up at Melbourne some months 
ago.” (Woolls, 1859.) 
“Tt has a black skin which drops off in little fragments, enclos- 
ing a veined white mass, which at first is soft, and has a peculiar 
acid smell, but when dry becomes extremely hard and horny.” 
(Treasury of Botany). Mr. Brough Smyth likens its appearance 
to unbaked brown bread. Backhouse states that the natives always 
informed him that they obtained it from the neighbourhood of 
a rotten tree. 
An interesting note on a specimen from Tasmania, by Mr. Wm. 
Southall, F.L.S., will be found in Pharm. Fourn. [3}, xv., 210, 
and a drawing of a section of a young plant is also given. 
Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. 
144. Myoporum debile, &.Br., (Syn. JL diffusum, R.Br. ; 
Pogonia debilis, Andr.; Andreusia debilis, Vent.; Capraria 
calycina,; A. Gray), N.O., Myoporinee, B.FI., v., 8. 
“ Amulla,” of the aborigines. 
