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Some Local Plants and
Their Uses
Food Plants
Acacia sp.- wattles. sap, grounded seeds

Solanum sp- kangaroo apple- egg shaped fruit when very ripe can be eaten. To keep birds away from fruit, aboriginal people would bury ripe fruit in sand mounds for later use.

Arthropodium strictum- chocolate lily and other lilies like early nancy, vanilla lily, fringe lily, bulbine lily- all important edible tubers

Various orchids, especially nodding greenhood (Pterostylis nutans) which are found abundant in sandy soils, have edible tubers

Microseris lanceolata- murnong, yam daisy, was locally abundant in many areas especially in plains (more than Otway forest) before sheep discovered it. Edible tubers. Most important indigenous food plant.

Triglochin sp. Water Ribbons. Very sweet, starchy tubers. Found in Bambra Wetland swampy areas.

Typha sp, cumbungi- edible tubers and young shoots

Coprosma quadrifida- prickly currant bush- edible berries

Sambucus gaudichaudiana- white elderberry- edible berries

Banksia marginata- silver banksia- sweet nectar for drinking

Kennedia prostrata- running postman. Sweet nectar

Prostanthera mellisifolia- balm mint bush- leaves for herbs

Exocarpos cupressiformis- cherry ballart. Edible fruit.

Billardiera scandens- apple berry. Edible fruit

Tasmannia lanceolata- mtn pepper- herbal bush tucker plant (no known aboriginal use)

Dicksonia antarctica- soft tree fern. Pith of young fronds eaten.

Rubus rosifolius- native raspberry- edible berries

Other Useful Plants
Fibre plants for weaving include-
Lomandra longifolia-spiny matrush;

Dianella tasmanica and revoluta- flax lilies;

Carex- tall sedge; Cyperus- leafy flat sedge;

Gahnia radula and seiberiana- saw sedges.

Other plants for tying or binding-
Pimelea axiflora- bootlace bush;

Gynatrix pulchella- Native hemp;

Glue
Xanthorrhoea australis- austral grass tree (leaf bases produce a resin as glue).

Medicinal
Goodenia ovata- hop goodenia- medicinal soporific properties

Pteridium esculentum- austral bracken fern. insect bites

Zieria arborescens- stinkwood. Crushed leaves for headache

Acacia melanoxylon- blackwood. Infusion of leaves for aching joints.