Oanavalia obtusifolia, DC. Leguminosae. 



This plant is not uncommon near the sea coast, and in woods 

 and coast districts, it bears rather large pods, and Mr. Maiden 

 says of it : — 



" The seeds are eaten by the blacks after cooking, as they are 

 poisonous in the raw state. Some shipwrecked sailors in North- 

 west Australia were poisoned by them. 



Portulaca oleracea, Linn. Portulaceae. 



This is the common Purslane, and a well known weed here, 

 but I cannot learn that the natives have made any use of it, 

 though I think that 1 remember hearing that some of our 

 colonists have used the leaves as a salad. Mr. Maiden says 

 of it :— 



" The seeds of this plant are largely used as food by the 

 natives of the interior. One would suppose that so small a 

 seed would scarcely repay the labour of collecting, but the 

 natives obtain large quantities by pulling up the plants, throw- 

 ing them in heaps, which after a few days they turn over, and 

 an abundant supply of seed is found to have fallen out, and can 

 be easily gathered up. The food prepared from this seed must 

 • be highly nutritious, for during the season that it lasts the 

 natives get in splendid condition on it. The seeds are jet black, 

 and look like very fine gunpowder . The natives grind them in 

 the usual mill (i.e., a large flat stone or bed stone on which the 

 seed is put, and a smaller one to be held in the hand for grind- 

 ing), and of the flour they make a coarse paste. 



We had almost daily occasion to praise the value of the Purs- 

 lane, which not only occurred in every part of the country ex- 

 plored, but also principally in the neighbourhood of rivers, 

 often in the greatest abundance. We found it in sandy and 

 grassy localities so agreeably acidulous as to use it for food 

 without any preparation, and I have reason to attribute the 

 continuance of our health to the constant use of this valuable 

 plant (Baron Mueller's Botanical Report of the North Austra- 

 lian Expedition). 



During the last drought a friend of mine was induced to try 

 it as a vegetable, imagining that it must be nearly allied to 

 spinach, and she assures me that she regarded it as a most 

 valuable table vegetable. (Wooll's Flora of Australia). 



Sesbania aculeata, Pers. Leguminosae. 



A tall annual plant with yellow flowers and long pods, it is 

 not uncommon in the coast and midland districts. I cannot 

 learn that it is used by oar natives in any way, but Mr. Maiden 

 says of it : — 



