40 ESCULENT PLANTS OF 
sembles a Swedish Turnep in substance, 
and is as thick as a man's arm, they roast 
it in the ashes, and eat it like bread; but 
it is too bitter and astringent to suit an 
English palate. It is said that the Abori- 
gines prefer the heart of Alsophila austra- 
lis, a larger species of Tree-Fern, found at 
Macquarrie's Harbour and other places on 
the western side of Van Diemen’s Land. 
A species of Tuber! is often found in 
Van Diemen’s Land, attaining to the size 
of a child’s head: it is known by the name 
of Native Bread, and in taste somewhat 
resembles boiled rice. Like the heart of 
the Tree-Fern and the root of the Native 
Potato, cookery produces little change in 
its character; I have often asked the Abo- 
rigines how they found the Native Bread, 
and have universally received the answer, 
** a rotten tree.” 
An esculent fungus grows in clusters 
around swollen portions of the branches 
of the Myrtle of this colony, (Betula ant- 
arctica—this tree, however, is not a Be- 
tula,) in the western part of the island. in 
It varies from the size of a marble to that 
of a walnut; when young, it is of a pale 
colour, whitish and covered with a skin 
like that of a young Potato: this skin is 
easily taken off, and the remaining portion, 
tastes like cold cow-heel. 
splits and exhibits a sort of net-work of a 
yellowish-white colour. The large white 
fungus, called in the colony Punk, which 
grows from the Stringy Bark (.Eucalyptus 
robusta), is said to be eaten, when fresh, 
by the natives. 
It is almost unnecessary to mention the 
common Mushroom, so abundant in many 
parts of the island, and of so agreeable a 
flavour. It seems precisely the same as 
the Mushroom of England (Agaricus escu- 
lentus). 
The blanched portion at the base of the 
inner leaves of some Rushes, and of a flat ' 
sedgy plant, growing on ‘the sand-hills i 
the coast, having the mature leaves an inch 
! This is a very curious Fungus, and nearly allied 
to the North American Sclerotium Cocos of Schweinitz. 
Y have specimens from Mr. Gunn 
VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. 
wide, and deep green, are eatable, and of a 
milky flavour. The flowers of this plan zi 
to a common observer, resemble those c f 
Rushes, they grow in clusters on a stem 2 
flat and veis as the leaves. | 
e of the inner leaves of the. 1 
inner ones, leaving about an inch and 
half of the white tender portion joining 
the trunk: this portion they eat raw or 
roasted, and it is far from disagreeable i 
flavour, having a nutty taste, slightly bal- 
samic. There are some other species 
Grass-Tree in the colony, the base of the 
eaves of which may also be used for food: 
those of the Dwarf Grass-Tree (Xan: 
thorrhea humilis), so abundant abou 
York-Town, may be obtained by twisting 
the inner leaves firmly together, and pull- 
ing them forcibly upwards; but care is. 
required not to cut the fingers by slipping 
the han 
The Esculent Fruits of Van Diemen' 
Land are not numerous, nor are any 
them worthy of comparison with the com 
monest English kinds. They rank in valu 
nearly in the following order:— 
Solanum laciniatum (Bot. Mag. t. 349. 
the Kangaroo- Apple, resembling the apple 
? A portion of the noble stem of this plant, which 
Jia to the age aie gh and thence, after some delay, 
as placed in our private coll 
tion, and after a vm of nearly, if not quite, e: 
as after e pret that, 
museum, 
i Cabinets have been supplied. 
has also been taken in New Holland by Dr. mee 
E 
