Page:Aboriginesofvictoria01.djvu/312

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
230
THE ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA:

an hour. The beverage which they produced was at all events the best which we had tasted on our expedition, and my companions were busy the whole afternoon in gathering and boiling the seeds." The same explorer states also, that à l'instance of the natives they obtained another good beverage by soaking the blossoms of the tea-tree (Melaleuca leucadendron), which were full of honey, in the water used for drinking.

15. Owenia cerasifera, F. Muell. Sweet plum. Rancooran.

A beautiful scrub tree with erect trunk and pinnate glossy leaves. Eatable part (sarcocarp) red.

16. Rhamnus vitiensis, Benth. Murtilam.

Scrub tree. Trunk and branches whitish. Leaves very smooth, shining, serrate, crenulate, and green on both sides. Berries, quarter inch diameter.

17. Zizyphus jujuba, Lam. Torres Straits jujube-tree.

The trunk and branches covered with prickles. Leaves ovate, rarely orbicular, green, smooth above, and white tomentose underneath. Fruit ovoid, yellow when ripe, half to three-quarter inch diameter.

18. Rubus rosæfolius, Sm. Native raspberry. Neram.

Found in creeks and valleys.

19. Terminalia oblongata, F. Muell. Yananoleu.

A large scrub or open forest tree, with branches spreading almost horizontally. Spikes a little longer than the leaves, with white-yellowish flowers. Fruit purple, flattened and winged.

20. Barringtonia sp. Broad-leaved apple-tree. Barror.

A small tree in open forest, alluvial soil. Flowers white and pink. Fruit like a middle-sized apple.

21. Jambosa sp. Buyan-buyan.

A tree found in creeks. Rich bright foliage with abundant white blossoms. Fruit rose and red, pyriform and drooping.

22. Cucumis sp. Native cucumber. Pumpin.

On rich alluvial soil and amongst grass. Fruit from half an inch to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and one to one and a half inch in length. The natives bite off one end, press the pulpy substance and seeds into their mouths, and throw away the outer skin or rind, which is very bitter.

23. Nauclea Leichhardtii, F. Muell. Leichhardt's tree. Toka, Rockh. tribe; Taberol, Cleveland Bay tribe.

Found on the banks of rivers and creeks. Stem erect. Leaves broad, oblong, deciduous. Flowers globular and fragrant. Fruit one and a half to two inches diameter, usually spherical, but varying much in shape; very soft when ripe; pulp slightly bitter.

24. Polyphragmon sericeum, Desf. Kavor-kavor.

Commonly met with in the bed of creeks. Fruit half inch in diameter, in shape not unlike the crab apple of Europe.

25. Maba sp. Scrub box, or ebony. Ronone.

A small tree, with dark scaly bark. Leaves ovate or obovate, almost sessile. Fruit small egg-shaped, orange-red when ripe.

26. Achras sp. Baleam.

A tall, straight scrub tree. Bark thin, grey, yellowish. Leaves obovate obtuse. Fruit as big as a middle-sized plum; with four or five smooth, shining, flattened seeds.