52 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
164. Physalis minima, Z7n., (Syn. P. parviflora, R.Br.), N.O., 
Solanez, B.FI., iv., 466. 
’ 
“ Neen-gwan,’ 
Queensland). 
of the aboriginals of the Cloncurry River (North 
The berries are eatable. The plant is not endemic in Aus- 
tralia. Another species is the well-known “ Cape Gooseberry.” 
New South Wales, Queensland, and Northern Australia. 
165. Picris hieracioides, Z7zz., (Syn. P. barbarorum, Lindl. ; 
P. angustifolia, DC.; P, attenuata, A.Cunn. ; P. asperrima, 
Lindl.; P. hamulosa, Wall.), N.O., Composite, B.FI., iii. 
678. (Not in Muell. Cens.) 
Sir Thomas Mitchell (Zhree Expeditions, ii., 149) thus speaks 
of this plant :—*‘ Near our camp we found some recent fire-places 
of the natives, from which they must have hastily escaped on our 
approach, for in the branches of a tree they had left their net 
bags containing the stalks of a vegetable that had apparently 
undergone some culinary process, which gave them the appearance 
of having been half-boiled. 
‘Vegetables are thus cooked, I am told, by placing the root 
or plant between layers of hot embers, ‘until it is heated and 
softened. The stalks found in the bag resembled those of the 
‘potato, and they could only be chewed, such food being neither 
nutritious nor palatable, for it tasted only of smoke.” 
This plant is not endemic in Australia. 
All the colonies. 
166 Pipturus argenteus, Wedd., (Syn. P. propinguus, Wedd. ; 
Urtica gigantea, Forst.), N.O., Urticee, B.FI., vi.. 185. P. 
propinguus in Muell. Cens., p. 22. 
“ Native Mulberry.” ‘ Kongangn,” and ‘“‘Coomeroo-cooméroo” of 
Queensland aboriginals. 
The white berries are eaten by the aboriginals. (Thozet.) 
This plant is not endemic in Australia. 
New South Wales and Queensland. 
