550 AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS HUMAN FOOD-PROVIDING PLANTS, 



The aboriginals are particularly fond of this fruit, which has 

 much the appearance of the crab or wild apple of Europe (Thozet). 

 Queensland and Northern Australia. 



203. Trigonella suavissima, Lindi, N.O. Leguminosse, B.FL, 

 ii., 187. 



" The perfume of this herb, its freshness and flavour, induced 

 me to try it as a vegetable, and we found it to be delicious, tender 

 as spinach, and to preserve a very green colour when boiled." 

 (Mitchell, Three Expeditions, p. 254). It is an excellent antiscor- 

 butic. 



All the colonies except Tasmania and Queensland. 



204. Typha angustifolia, Linn., (Syn. T. Brownii, Kunth; T. 

 latifolia, G. Forst.; T. Shuttle w or thii, Sond.);N.O. Typhaceae, 

 B.Fl., vii., 159. Muell. Fragm., vii., 116. 



Called "Bullrush," and also "Cat's tail" and "Reed Mace." It 

 is the "Wonga" of the Lower Murraj' aboriginals. 



The young shoots are edible, and resemble asparagus. The root 

 is excellent. The pollen is used as food by the natives of Sind, 

 India, being made into cakes (Dymock). It is used for the same 

 purpose in New Zealand. 



In a paper by Gerard Krefft (Proc. Fhilos. Sac. J^.S. W., 1862-5.) 

 " On the Lower Murray Aboriginals," the following description is 

 given by him of the method of preparing these x'oots for food. He 

 gives the species name as T. Shuttleworthii, but this has been 

 merged in the present species : — " At a certain period, I believe 

 January and February, the women enter the swamps, take up the 

 roots of these reeds, and carry them in large bundles to their 

 camp. The roots thus collected are 12 to 18 inches in length, and 

 they contain, besides a small quantity of saccharine matter, a 

 considerable quantity of fibre. The roots are roasted in a hollow 

 made in the ground and either consumed hot, or taken as a sort of 

 provision upon hunting expeditions; they are at best a miserable 

 apology for flour, and I almost believe it was on account of the 

 tough fibre thus obtained that these roots were made an article of 

 food." 



