Indigenous Vegetable Productions. 26 



The woods of Bedfordia salicina and Eurybia argyrophylla 

 (Musk tree), although neither of large size nor of great dura- 

 bility, are occasionally soiight for fancy work. 



The Tasnianian cider tree occurs also in the alps of Victoria. 



FRUITS. 



Amongst the few edible indigenous fruits, those of the 

 bramble (Rubus macropodus) are not dissimilar to the rasp- 

 berry. It is, however, generally in sheltered valleys only that 

 the Australian bramble bears plentifully, although it is by no 

 means rare along the water courses and banks of rivers. The 

 plant ascends to subalpine altitudes. 



Generally in alternate seasons, the fruit of the quandang or 

 native peach (Santalum Preissianum Miq. Fusanus acuminatus 

 E,. Br.) may be gathered in abundance throughout the scrubby 

 north western depressions of the colony. The fruit, notwith- 

 standing its thin pericarp, is still one of the most largely 

 available for food. In taste, it may be compared to acidulous 

 apples. The order of Santalaceas, offers in Leptomeria aphylla 

 another fruiting bush, with berries grateful to the taste, not 

 dissimilar to grapes. 



The Exocarpi, also santalaceous, yield pleasant fruits, which 

 in large quantities are obtained from Exocarpus dasystachys, 

 but rather scantily produced by the more frequent Exocarpus 

 cupressiformis. Nitraria Billardierii furnishes a good sized 

 fruit in the subsaline deserts of the Murray. 



The arborescent Cissus hypoglauca is the only plant of 

 Ampelideae found in Victoria, and offers a fruit of grape like 

 taste. The Mesembrianthemum praecox, from the Murray 

 desert and the much more common Mesembrianthemum. 

 aequilaterale from the coast, afford also agreeable fruits. 



NATIVE VEGETABLES. 



Amongst the indigenous plants which are available as 

 culinary vegetables, the Chenopodium auricomum may be 

 mentioned as a nutritious and pleasant spinage. This plant 

 extends from the tropical regions of Australia, as far south 

 as the Murray river. 



The New Zealand spinage (Tetragonia expansa) is to be 

 found in many places on the coast ; whilst the equally useful 

 Tetragonia implexicoma, is still more widely diffused, occur- 

 ring abundantly on the whole southern coast of Australia. 



The Purslane, not originally indigenous in Victoria, but now 

 spreading over the country, is, as a vegetable easily procu- 

 rable for travellers, not to be omitted on this occasion. 



