544 AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS HUMAN FOOD-PROVIDING PLANTS, 



" Kangaroo apple," " Gunyang " or " Koonyang " of the Gipps- 

 land and other aboriginals. " Meakitch " or " Mayakitch " or 

 " Mookich " of the aboriginals of Western Victoria (Lake Condah). 



Its large fruit resembles that of the potato. The fruit when 

 perfectly ripe, which is indicated by the outer skin bursting, may 

 be eaten in its natural state, or boiled and baked. It has a mealy, 

 subacid taste, and may be eaten in any quantity with impunity ; 

 but until the skin bursts, although the fruit may otherwise appear 

 ripe, it has an acrid taste, and causes an unpleasant burning 

 sensation in the throat (Gunn), 



All the colonies except Western Australia and Queensland. 



184. SoLANUM ESURiALE, Lindl., (Syn. S. pulcliellum, F.v.M.), 

 N.O. Solanea3. B.Fl. iv., 454. 



" Comyn " of the aboriginals of the Lachlan River, New South 

 Wales. " Oon-doroo " of those of the Cloncurry liiver, North 

 Queensland. 



The berries of this plant were eaten by the native guides of Sir 

 Thomas Mitchell {Three ^Expeditions, ii., 43). 



All the colonies except Tasmania and Western Australia. 



185. SoLANUM HYSTRix, R.Br., N.O. Solaueae, B.Fl., iv., 458. 



Called " Walga" by aborigines in South Australia. 

 The blacks use the fruit for food, but only with the pounded and 

 baked bark of the mallee root, called " Congoo " by them. Bt-fore 

 using the fruit they take off the shell (the dry prickly calyx), and 

 remove the seeds. This leaves a pulpy skin about the thickness 

 of that of a native peach (? Owenia) ; the fruit and bark are then 

 made into a cake. When fruits are not obtainable, and they are 

 otherwise hard pressed for food, the natives bleed themselves in 

 the arm, and use the blood with the bark. The natives told me, 

 when opening the fruit for the seeds, not to eat the fruit, as it 

 would make my throat sore, nor yet to touch my eyes with my 

 fingers. The fine prickles and juice got into my fingers, and 

 produced a good deal of pain and inflammation for a short time. 

 (Annie F. Richards, in Proc. U.S. S.A., iv., 136). 

 South Australia. 



