BY J. H. MAIDEN. 503 



In the Treasury of Botany it is observed that the tender tops 

 of all the edible species of Cucurbitacece, boiled as greens or 

 spinach, are even a more delicate vegetable than the fruit. 



New South Wales, Queensland, Northern and "Western 

 Australia. 



58. Ctathea medullis, Swartz, N.O. Filices, B.FL, vii., 70S. 



"Black-stemmed Tree-fern." 



The aboriginals used to feed on the pith of this tree-fern, whicli 

 contains a certain amount of starch similar to sago (Foster). 



Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales. 



59. CvcAS MEDIA, R^Br., N.O. Cycadeje, B.Fl., vi., 249. 



"Nut palm," '- Baveu " of Central Queensland aboriginals. 



Employed by the aborigines as food. An excellent farina is 

 obtained from it. The nuts are deprived of their outer succulent 

 cover (sarcocarp) and are then broken ; and the kernels, having 

 been roughly pounded, are dried three or four hours in the sun, 

 then brought in a dilly-bag to a stream or pond, where they 

 remain in the running water four or five days, and in stagnant 

 water thi-ee or four days. By a touch of the fingers the proper 

 degree of softness produced by maceration is ascertained. They 

 are afterwards placed between the two stones mentioned under 

 Colocasia maccorrhiza, reduced to a fine paste, and then baked 

 under the ashes in the same way that our bush people bake their 

 damper (Thozet). 



Queensland and Northern Australia. 



60. Cymbidium caxaliculatum, R.Br,, N.O. Orchideaj, B.FL, 



A-i., 302. 



The only orchid of the interior of tropical Australia which 

 afibrds mucilaginous food (Mueller). The stems, «fec., are eaten 



South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and Northern 

 Australia. 



