Sept. 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



ON THE "NARDOO PLANT OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA. 91 



considerable period, but tbey also died on it, with the exception of King, 

 who was reduced to a mere skeleton when found by the relief party. I 

 am not sufficiently acquainted with chemical substances to give a definite 

 opinion on the matter, but I believe I am pretty safe in assuming that 

 the nutritive properties contained in the thallus or rhizomes of Crypto- 

 gamic plants depend chiefly upon the presence of an amylaceous sub- 

 stance, analogous to gelatine, which occurs in the form of pure starch, or 

 amylaceous fibre, which is also the case in the fruit of the " Nardoo." 

 But, before observing farther on the nutritive parts of this plant, I shall 

 state the position it occupies in the great section of plants to which it 

 belongs. 



Whatever doubt exists relative to its species, happily there is none 

 respecting the genus. It is a Marsilea, and of the natural order Marsi- 

 leacese, which Berkeley, in his ' Introduction to Cryptogamous Plants,' 

 places between Lycopodiacese and Equisetaceee. I shall not here state 

 the botanical characters which serve to separate this order from its 

 allies, but simply observe that it includes four genera, according to that 

 author, which contain a considerable number of species, all of an aquatic 

 nature, growing in shallow pools and ditches liable to be occasionally 

 dried up, and in geographical distribution extending over a considerable 

 portion of the surfaces of both hemispheres. Our Irish Flora contains 

 only one example of the order — namely, the Pillwort (Pllularia globu- 

 lifera), a singular little plant, which, like the " Nardoo," creeps along 

 the bottoms of shallow pools of water, producing its round pill-like in- 

 volucres or spore cases. In general appearance, the " Nardoo " plant, 

 bears a great resemblance to some dwarf species of Trifolium, or Clover, 

 in its leaves ; whilst the hard, horny involucres might be mistaken at 

 first sight for the legumes of that genus. When growing, it sends out 

 long rhizomes, or stems, which lie flat on the surface of the mud, pro- 

 ducing leaves and involucres at intervals from above, and roots from the 

 under side. When the pools become dried up, the leaves wither and 

 decay, leaving the hard involucres on the surface, which the natives 

 collect as required for consumption. It appears, from King's narrative, 

 that the preparation consists of pounding them between stones, and 

 baking into cakes as we use flour, or simply boiling. 



The genus Marsilea is one of the highest orders of Cryptogams, inas- 

 much as the prothallus is confluent with the spore, and does not form a 

 distinct expansion. Besides, when vegetating, a root and frond or leaf 

 are developed at the same time, similar to some monocotyledons, or 

 even dicotyledons — for example, the Water-Lilies, Nymphseacese. 



The involucre of Marsilea being a metamorphosed leaf, is a further 

 indication of their approach to Pheenogamous plants. The microscope 

 shows it is composed of parallel series of tough vascular tissue, which is 

 probably unrollable vascular fibres, lying among the cellular mass, and 

 giving form and consistence to the two valves. When examining this 

 part of the plant, hot water was applied to soften it, which caused it to 



