ASSOCIATION OF SOCIETIES FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN .

AUSTRALIAN FOOD PLANTS STUDY GROUP ISSN 0811 5362. NEWSLETTER NUMBER 25, OCTOBER 1995.

323 Philp Ave., Frenchville. Qld. 4701. 31/10/95.

Dear Members,

The weatker is the current all-engrossing topic here, as I'm sure it-is in much of the rest of this "wide brow landU.of ours. Will there be a-Wet this year? We have experienced a few summer stc)rms, more noise than substance, so continue hopeful . The climatic contrasts within were brought home to me afresh when I attended the ASGAP Conference in Ballarat last month. To watch from the plane window as the country changed beneath from bare'brown to lush green was a strange . experience! Then the further contrast between ground so damp that it "gave" underfoot and the drought-stressed Grarnpians was another surprise. .It certainly was a lesson in the dangers of pre-conceived ideas!

The peculiarities of the weather aside, the Conference was a wonderful experience, and SGAP and their hard- working committee are deserving of the highest praise for their organisation. I found the Study Group Leaders ' Meeting of great value, and thoroughly enjoyed the program of lectures and excursions. Although a number of speakers touched 011 our particular field of interest, or mentioned food plants, the only one to specifically address our area of study was Graeme O'Neill in the A.J.Swaby Memorial Address

entitled The Cornn~erc!ial Potential of Austr-aliar~~lar; ts . .> (Paradise ~lnclercor7strllctic~l1). Some notes on the particular section will be fotlnd later in this newsletter. Our Study Croup mounted a small static display consisting nlainly qf posters and charts on the Information Night, but t.he large crowd, crarnped cic~~idi.ti011s and encroachmen t of neighboring st-alls di-minished i. ts erfectiveness somewhat . Nevertheless, it did generate a great deal of i.nterest, and a 17u1nberof new members have jni 11cr2d as a result . As al.ways, t,he mc)s t positive part- (:)I? arly Cc~nferenceis the opportunil:y to rneet and talk wj.tIi pr?(.>ple f1:c)rn diverse hackgroi~ndswho share a comnlon .i.nt.e1:c:sI:, dlid tl1.i.s ~af;I?(:) esc:eptic)n. IC's 1c)vel.y to 13e able to I:ILI t r;lc:er; tc) nallles, dnd Lc) chat. i 11tr_)rmal ly ra tl~er tl~ar~WL--i te . Planning for the next Region ~onferencein Rockhampton in September 1996 continues. Our short info- presentation at the ASGAP Conference was well-received, and a large number of "expressions of interest" forms have been returned already. It is with sadness that I must record the death of Mrs. Brenda Holland of Port Augusta, one of our members. I must also comment on the tragedy that befell Oliver Carter (and Australian horticulture in general) when his nursery was vandalised by being sprayed with herbicide late last year. An article from the Toowoomba Clronicle is reprinted further on.,, along with edited extracts from Oliver's letter, to which I have already replied personally. I have also acted on his suggestion to contact Dr. Fletcher, and we are going to exchange newsletters and information. I hope to have further news for you regarding the situation at Manna Nursery next letter. Rocky SGAP's August excursion to check on our bit of Kershaw Gardens was not one of our best. A grey and bitterly cold day turning to drizzle proved too much for our thin tropical blood, and the outing was curtailed, though not before a heavy crop of Microcitrlas australasica was harvested for Anne McHugh to turn into delicious marmalade. To add insult to injury, that was the only rain for months! In mid October Ted and Anne McHugh and I took a small group of Year 9 Geography students from Emmaus College to investigate the Brigalow community on "Clear Water". They voted it a top day, and handed in some excellent field reports concentrating on adaptations. (But I wish I had a dollar for every t.irne a child asked, "Can you eat this?"!) With our very best wishes to you and yours for the coming Festive Season, Regards &%- ~enoFeLindsay and Rockhanipton S .G. A. P.

NEW MEMBERS. Welcome to the following new members:

Margie & Geoff BARNETT: 2 Fletcher Rd., Mt-Barker. S.A. 5251.

Rob CONLEY: P.O. Box 351,' McLaren Vale. S .A. 5171. Christine DE RRENNI: "Brienne", Mt.McKenzie, P.O.Box 210, Angaston. S.A. 5353. Sue GRAY: RSD 413A, Oldina. Tas. 7325. Steve PROWSE: Australian Tropical Native Food Industries. P.O.Box 648, Gordonvale. Q. 4865. Krj.s SCHAFFER: Karchorns Hill, Neika. Tas. 7054. EDIBLE SPECIMENS TABLED AT MEETINGS:

28/7/95 : decora, A. podalyrii fol ia, Cl erodendrclm fl orihundum, Pl anchonia carreya, Leptosperrnum fl avescens, bracteata, and a number of Grevillea species and hybrids.

25/8/95: Acacia podalyriifolia, Scaevola calendulacea, and a host of ~rateaceaebrought along for the identification workshop. 22/9/95: Atalaya liemZgla~~ca,Dianella caerul ear Faradaya spl endida, Ficus opposi ta, Dodonaea viscosa, Ajuga australis (medicinal) . 27/10/95: Backhotrsia ci triodora, Lomandra longifolia, Syzygium luehmanii, S. wilsonii; Meleleuca spp., C1,.iri1~m peduncu.1atum (medicinal and possibly edible) .

EXCURSIONS :*

16/7/95: Shoalwater Bay ~rmyReserve: An overview of a very small part of the reserve which is larger than the A.C.T., covering areas of open eucalypt forest, creekbank, mangroves, heath and softwood scrub.

6/8/95: Kershaw Gardens: , A. farnesiana, Argusia argentea, Bracllychi ton bidwillii , Capparis .l ucida, Carissa ova tar Cy-cas media, Erytlirina vespertilio, Eucalyptus intermedia, Ficus racemosa, Ficus sp., .Grevillea banksii, a number of Hibiscus species, Lomandra sp., Marsilea hirsuta, assorted Me1a1 euca species, Microci trus australasica, Nauc-Zea orientalis, Pipturis argenteus, Sterculia quadrifida.

20/8/95: Capricorn Coast: A full day of Conference preparation spent investigating mangrove and littoral plant con~munitiesin the n~orning,and a number of possib1.e sites at Capricisri? International Resort in the afternoon. ?lost of the conlmoner species were noticed, but no detailed lists were kept. (That's for next year when the sites have been finalised.)

3/9/95: Byfield: This too was an exploratory outing t.o preview possible sites for one of next year's Conference excursions, and covered heath with Rhonda ?lelzer of D. E. H. and riparian rainforest. with Ernie Rider. Elaeocarpus eumundi was fruiting, and we found a few seeds of Rowe~lia serz-lil a La .

' 1/10/95: T11e Caves : Another exploratory outing to c-heck out hriyal.'ow and limestone plant communities in preparation for next year. The untouched briga1.o~with intact t.111del-s tory on "Clear Wa ter-" coi-rt,dined an incredib1.e variet.y c)f food plant.^,

' il~cluclincjCapparis spp. , Carissa ovata, Dioscor-ea transversa, Enchyl aena t'omen tnsa , Eremoci trus g.2 auca, Lysiphy.7 1!1m hnoh-erj , Pl-vnpc.>r-o~i,acilnlina t:rr/n, PI. dehil e, Order7ia acid1.1.1a. If accessilsil-it:y ~a-1111:)e a~:ranged, this spot is a beaut'! Manna Nursery. '8 Vanity Street, Toowoomba. Q. 4350. 18/4/95. Dear Lenore, Enclosed are a few small plants of Rubus muelleri, an Australian native. I hope you can make use of them. Also enclosed are seeds of Ipomoea muell eri and. Opercul ina brownii (including some ripened, fruit . This Ipomoea is.also known as "Poison Morning Glory", so called because it is reported to have poisoned grazing stock in'W.A. The seed enclosed is S.A.provenance, where the plant is not known to poison stock. The tuber of this plant was eaten by the first Australians.

The Operculina is an edible plant known as "Bush Potatoes", and is from the "Top End". My plants are growing in 6 .or 8 inch pots, and appear to be a small, short-lived annual of about 3-4 months. Both the Convolvulaceae species have hard seed coats, especially 0. brownii. These must be chipped or they will'not germinate. I get round this difficulty by ,planting before the seed coat hardens at maturity. They - germinate then in only a few days. Could you enlighten me as to how or what part of this plant is/was eaten?

Enclosed is a copy of "New Crops Newsletter" which is sent out free. I reckon you should he on this mailing list. I personally know Dr. Rob. Fletcher and declare he is a top guy, so would you write and ask to he put on the list? New Crops have put out a very reasonably priced book listing thousands of potential new crop plants.. I'm sure we could help by adding more native food plants to this list.

Includid also is an article from the local paper about a criminal act perpetrated against me. Someone climbed-over .the security fence and sprayed most areas w'itli 2-4-5-T. About 1400 cuttings and thousands of potted plants were lost, also hundreds of experir(lenta1 research projects were lost. :L: J. * -C A11 well, of such is the world. I'll just carry on as best I am able.

Keep up tl-IF-!exc:ellenl: ~c~rliyou are doing!

Kj~ndestregards, Ol.iver Cai:t:er.

11 I wasn'l: al111.e I:(.) ~.~neart.l-1any c:olr~crete i~?fc)~lnat.io~-~in answer t I v ' s I I 0 oii - Perliaps snlneone else can hclp? (Ed.) Saturday, December 3,1994 THECHRONICLE Weekend Features Native bush

"A1 of lhe current peach and ncctarlncs can bc lraccd lo orwal wild pcach varlcUcs stUl grou-ing In lsolalcd hllls In parcs of Chlna. LIVER Carter is a self-taught research- "In Auslrda wc havc lnlinllcly 0er who believes native fruits have the bcllcr and rnorc varlcd spcclcs lo smt wlth - It b a matter of potential to take the place which tasty fruits sclccllng Ulc righl varlcues to such as peaches and nectarines hold in our produce ncw and dUTcrcnt planta and frulb." diet. He talked to ANGUS MOFFATT. Mr Carlcr's currcnt experlrncnta USTRALlAN nallvc In Lhc past four ycvs Mr CYlcr lnvolvc lllly pUllcs. boab Lrccs fresh Is best Is an has opcncd new posslblllUcs for (adansonla) and flg spcclcs. adage whlch a scll- the dcvclopmcnt of natlvc bush "InnovaUon Is lhc name of lhc tau&[ Toowoorilba foods from unassi~mlngprcmlscs. gamc." hc sald. cscarchcr bcllcvcs tronlcally sltcd In Vanlty Slrcct. "Ihavc spccfflc goals with Lhc Acould bccornc a long-lcrni rcallty. Ills rcputauon has spread brccdlng program bul Lhcrc Is a "It IS a national dlsgacc to lhlnk through Ulc mcmbcrshlp of the lot of unccrtafnty and no Australla has ncflcctcd thc Soclcty for Gro~lngNaUvc PldnLs guldellncs whcn propagaung new potcnllal for ncw frlllls Just and also tils Involvcmcnl wllh Ulc 3pcclcs.- walUng lo bc dcvcl~pcdfro111 a11 West AustralIan Nut and Trcc Mr Cartcr sdd thcrc arc 52 cndlcss varlcty of naUvc busli Crops Ajsoclatlori. namcd syzyglum spcclcs. bcrtcr foods." according lo "Tt~crcIs a ~calpotc~itlal for known as thc IUly pffly. which arc Toowoornba's hlr Ollvcr Carlcr. nallvc foods to dcvclop lrilo niorc naUvc to Australla and many of Thc rcllrcd Xllllmcrran dlstrlcl tantallslng and varlcd varlcllcs produccr has turllcd 111s cxtcllslve rhcsc arc cndcmlc spcclcs (grow ~liarisornc of thc iasllcsl collirlion only In Australla] well othcr knowlcdgc and llmllcd rcsourccs as as frults such as pcachcs and unnarncd spcclcs. Into a lcadlng rcscarch progrnlll. ricclarlnes." hfr Carter sald. -1 havc all but onc of lhcsc spcdca wllh rhc rn-lng pIanr a nark of Papua Ncw Gutnea and also round on Murray Island In Tol7c3 smalt- Hc sad onc spcclcs from Hlnchlnbrook Island has a small. blue fruit whlch was uscd a9 the seed parent lo prducc a tar cr hybrld which Is vtryjulcy. o aen crhp but not meet. 'The taste IY rathcr bland and sorncumcs lcavcs an oUy almost lurpcnllnc flavour. "Howcvcr sclccUvc brccdlng can lntroducc bcllcr Lasic.' Mr Cdrlcr sald all adansonla spcclca arc cdlblc. tlc rcccnUy gaftcd an adansonld Gcgoru (an cndcmlc spcclcsl to an adansonla dlgluta (a nallvc spcclcs but found mostly In Soutlr Afrlcal ]us1 to provc 11 was p.wIblc. Mr Carlcr salt! (hc Lclct~tl;trtl~ Ircc whlct~grow.* In norll~crn Auslralla and 'ccntrd Quccnslantl ha3 a tnorc rncdlclnal bcrry. tlc ~aldIt a1.w has a uscful lln~bcr ~7tha bcaullful dccp ycllow rain whlch 13 a soft wood much 111 c rcd ccdar. In olhcr ucpcrlmcnts Mr Cartcr has doublcd lhc chromosomcs ~n ccrlaln sl>cclcs whlch lncrcascs* thc plant's tlgour and produccs largcr flowcrs and fruit but can also dccrcasc subscqucnt fcrtilfty. Thcsc cxpcrlmcnts havc alLractcd tntcrcst from John McCarlhy a formcr chlcf plant propagatcr at !he Sydncy Bolanlc Gardens who has ocprcsscd an In[crcs( LO &la1 some of Lhc syryglum spcclcs. Mr McCarLhy Is now tnvolvcd wlth Lhc South Auskallan bascd AustralIan NaUvc Producc Industrlcs.

Mr Cartcr has also adapted a proccdurc wilh Ian Inglcton of Laldlcy to prcvcnt root balling - a process uslng coppcr corn unds (excluding coppFr sulpEtc] to rrrUlrl root bdllng ln pottcd plants but whlch promotes more vigorous root trp grou7h oncc plankd.

The proccdurc was ouLlIncd In a Unltcd Sbtcs unlvcrslty rcscarch paper and latcr appllcd by former Unlvcrslty of Quccnsland Catton Collcge lecturer Pctcr Brauns. Mr Carter sald naUvc food sources also have potcotlal appllcaUons for oUs. mcdlclncs. roots, splm, gums. bcvcragcs and a host of othcr commcrclal uses. Apart from scndlng sccds and cuttlngs around Australla Mr Carter has also packaged sccds to Pucrto Wco ahd Ncw Mand.

Hh Manna Nwscry Ls not rcgistcrcd as a commcrclal cntcrprbc and Mr Cartcr sald hc LJ more concemed.about bulldlng SUSPECTED'POISONINQ: Mr Ollvar Cartar bollavas most of hls r up a bank ol knowlcdgc Ulan saarch work could ba dastroyad If a subslancc sprayad on the plants rlnglng up dcs. found to bd: polsonous.

Dr Rob flclchcr. lcclurcr in plant Following suspcctcd vandalism In Lhlnk I am pcrformlng Ulls work lmprovcmcnt ln thc dcparmcnt lhc past wcck. samplcs of Lhc as a scrvlce to Lhc country." Mr of plant producuon at Ulc spraycd spcclcs havc bccn tcstcd Cartcr sad. . Unlvcrslty of Quccnsland Catton by pollcc to IdcnUfy thc subshncc Collcge sald Mr Carlcr 1.s onc of whlch Mr Carlcr fcars could have 'Thcsc arc projects whlch lakc Australla's lcadlng rcscarchcrs of rulncd most of hls rcswrch ycars to dcvclop and somc naUvc foods. projcct. hybrids could bc lost forcvcr. Dr Rctchcr AdMr Cartcr's Mr Cartcr said hundrcds of 'Tlic Chlncsc JuJubc (zlzyphus rcscarch Is parllcularly valuablc sccdllngs. pottcd planls. morc JuJubal can only bc ~lartcdIron1 for Ulc rangc of gcrm plasm rnaturc cuttings and cstabllshcd cuttings around this Umc as 11 I: IdlfTcrcnt gcncuc Ilncsl whlch Iic planb could tiavc bccn lost fruslraungly dllflcult lo has cstabllshcd and ~hc forcvcr. propagatc. mcUculous work ullh Intcr. spcc~cscrossing. Hc ~aldcach hybrid jpcclc~could "I waltcdfor years lo porcntlally havc a commcrclal propagatc thb spcclmcn and "Ollvcr's work Is astounding and valuc of at lcast 3100,000. know of only a handful of other covers a gap In rcscarch work." botanists who arc pcrformlng tk Dr Flclchcr s+d. '7VhUc I( IS a peal hobby 1 also rcscarch." &

'B!L,AZE" J A Touch of Class Tilcfinal ~OUCIIto your garden deck or courtyard. It's 'Bke' a unique new true dwarf Lillypilly which grows no bigger than 150 crns. Wit11 fine foliage and cornpact b11sI1y pro\vth 'Blaze' can bc trained to any shape so is perfect for hedges, topiary and borders. A tough native, disease resistant 'Ol~e'rcspo~rds well to regular pruning and also povides luscious 'bus11 tucker' ... edible fruit for jams at~dsauccs. 6 TRUE DIVARFLILLYI'ILLY (SYZYClUhf AUmLE) d Ask for 'Blaze' by name at yottr nursery I (1) I,RI< rco\liw l/i. J. 4WABY MEMORIAL ADDRESB~

... ' . . ' .'THE COMMERCIAL %POTENTIALOFd . .

Y2, * , >.>. > < Au5TR/+L:lAN.PbANT5 ~, . 3 '. / >: .. . >: : . .I , ,. ' (Paradise under construction)

Graeme O'Neill

Graeme has been a journalist for many years, writing articles for 'The Age' as their science writer and more recently for 'Time' magazine. He is currently sellkg up his own business as a freelance writer. Amongst other horticultural pursuits he avidly collects and grows rainforest plants.

THE MACADAMIA nut has come to symbolise both the potential and the failure of Australians to reap commercial benefits from their unique native flora. Macadamia is the native nut that got away - a handful of hybrid nuts pocket;ed by American William Purvis in 1002 becam-ethe basis of a lucrative new industry in Hawaii. The macadamia is now the world's most desirable nut, and most Australian native plant lovers find it galling .t;hat the world's most desirable nut is now known to much of the world as the "Hawaiian nut".

In the 1990s Australia is reclaiming its native nut, and researchers are beginning t;o explore the untapped genetic potential of the genus. I'll return t;o the Macadamia for dessert, but for my talk this evening I want to look atsome of the positive developments that are occurring as Australians take a long-overdue interest in their native flora. and begin to explore its commercial potential. Because my interest is in AChertunia diversifolia science, my perspective will emphasise the scientific underpinnings of commercialisaCion. Graeme's ' most prized' rainforest plant * Art;work by Marilyn Bcrry 7 Research, I will argue, is essential if we are to I want to review developments in the exploit the enormous potential of our native horticultural and cut flower industries, the rise flora wisely and profitably. Much effort and of the industry, the potential of money has been wasted on enterprises that native plants as a source of new exploited our native flora largely in ignorance of pharmaceuticals. As native plant lovers, we its unique attributes and its special cultivation focus on flowering plants, but we need to remind requirements. These efforts have reaped a ourselves that the Australian flora embraces bitter harvest: financial loss. disillusion, and an marine. aquatic and terrestrial algae. and the unfortunate perception that Australian native astonishingly diverse fungi that live in plants are "difficult". association with the roots of roots of nearly all our native plants. Other speakers in this forum will detail recent efforts to bring a more professional and Along the way, I'm going to try to put these sysematic approach to the marketing. sale developments in a social contea - commerce and cultivation of Australian native plan- in drives, and is driven by, social trends, and the Australia and overseas - the "Koala Blooms" native plant business is no exception. project, which Rodger Elliot will describe on Friday. exemplifies the new wave. HORTICULTURE

-. "Research, I will argue, -, is essential if we are to ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

exploit the enormous potential &%+ of our native' flora PHARMACEUTICAL5 FROM NATIVE wisely and profitably." PLANTS

GENETIC I'm going to interpret the phrase "commercial potential" in its broadest sense commerce is - The bioprospecting industry has another facet - about profit. loss and opportunities missed or that of exploring the genetic wealth of the foregone. Past mismanagement of the Australian flora as a potential source of new Australian flora has resulted in economic genes for agriculture and horticulture. losses on a vast scale, through its impact on such things as farm profitability, the The model here is the genus Glycine, the genus hydrological cycle, what might be termed the to which the world's most important protein visual resource upon which toukism depends. The crop. the soybean. belongs. The world's soybean fact that some of these profits and losses are industry rests on a perilously very narrow difficult to quantify makes them no less real genetic base - all are derived from the than the red and black figures that appear on Chinese species Glycine max, which was probably the accountanZs' ledger. domesticated several thousand years ago. There is only one other species in Asia - and 16 Given the range of topics I plan to cover. I have currently recognised species in Australia, which to be somewhat selective, and I have no makes us the world centre of soybean genetic intention of boring you with figures - perhaps it diversity. is enough to say that collectively, we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars - and the Working with collaborators in the United suggestion by a CSIRO scientist aC last year's States. CSIRO scientists have succeeded in ANZAA5 congress in Geelong thaC the hybridising Australian glycine species with Australian flora could event;ually susCain a soybeans. The Australian species carry a diverse group of expor% industry with a variety of genes that confer resistance to collective value greatcr than the wheat industry soybean rust. The research is being may not be blue-sky dreaming. conducted in Australia because the American 8. * soybean crop is currently rust-Cree - but non- The juvenile Collage of Athertonla is bright green, resistant. The first hybrids. between domestic glossy and deeply lobed - they dry black, and soybeans and a variety of Glycine canescens would make a novel feature in dried flower from Queensland's Cooloola National Park, were arrangements or Ikebana. It is not being,grown sterile, but the researchers have now commercially. to my knowledge, but Vic Cherikoff. succeeded in restoring fertility to several of the proprietor of the Bush Tucker 5upply these, which should make future gene-transfers Company in Sydney. supplies small quantities of to soybeans much easier. wild-harvested nuts to restaurants. These days airlines are dispensing biscuits containing C51RO researchers have also produced some acacia seeds or macadamias; there are hybrids between Australian Vigna species and specialist restaurants in Melbourne, Sydney, the mung bean. a staple of the bean sprout Asia and even in Vermont in the Unittd States, industry. Our native Gossypium species are a that sell bush tucker. Well known Melbourne potential source of new genes for the world's chefs like Jacques Reymond and Stephanie most important fibre industry - cotton. There Alexander have developed new dishes with bush are about a dozen native Gossypiurns, including tucker ingredients. somc that have chemical or architectural traits that protect them against insect attack. Several species have the ability to switch off In 1993 Vlc CherikofP6 bush tucker company production of a natural insecticide called was turnlng over more than a mllllon dollar6 a gossypol as they begin to set seed - gossypol year. It was cxportlng a mllllon blscuftZ wfth can halt sperm production in male mammals. bush tucker Ingredients to Japan. where there which means it must be treated before it can be Is a lucrative market for anything novel In the fed to livestock. The gene that regulates food line. Bush tucker Is stlll something of a gossypol production in native Gossypiums could novcky In Australia. but there Is clear potential save millions of dollars in the cost of treating for a much larger. more highly organlsed seeds. Industry. based around commcn;lal plan*tatlons.

These are just a few examples of the potential Cherlkoff 6uppllcs.mlnts from various genetic wealth of the Australian flora. Before I Prostanthcra spccics, lemon and anlsd round off with the promised macadamia flavored from Backhousla, lilly-pilb dessert. I want to take a quick look atthe berries to be eaten as fruit, or to make Jams growing menu of native foods popularly rderred ,and sauces, nativc pepper made from thc leaves to as "bush tucker." of Tasmannia xcrophlla, native plums from Davldsonla prudens, black apples from The most prized plant in my garden atSelby, in Planchonella ausfmlls, and wild raspberres - the Dandenongs, is a young but healthy nearly all grown on managed plan-tations that specimen of Athertonia diversifolia, which is employ native Australians to harvest the crops. related to Macadamia and whose nuts are, by One cxccptlon Is samphire. which can be eaten some accounts, as tasty as macadamias. as a grwri, and may have potential as a seed crop - I-L grows In salt pans.

"Bush tucker is still The Bush Tucker Supply. . Company also collGcts something of a Warragul greens as a native jpinach. and Gcit;onoplcsium growth tips as a native novelty in Australia, but asparaius. h6 with Athertonia. which is wld as there i5 clear potential a natlve almond, sclling something as a substitute for somc familiar food is a familiar for a much larger, Wo-cdgcd sword - It may invite unfavorable more highly organised industry, comparisons. when perhaps It should simply bc sold In Its own right- as a new food with its own based around commercial unique flavor and texture. While Planchonella is plantations." dcscrlbcd as a nativc plum, but It has plum, custard and apple flavors. Some imaginative markctlng may bc rcqulrcd. -+ Chcrikoff sclls scvcral tonncs of quandongs, crops two to thrcc ycars carlicr Chan any 5anhlom acuminatum. every ycar. Resea rch by Hawalian varlcty, whlch Is a very valuable trait, C51RO's Dr John foesingham in Adelaide laid given the high capital cost of cstabllshlng much of the groundwork for the sclcctlon of pla fltatlons. commcrclal cultivars. Thc lcadlng commcrclal cultlvar, whlch has the unfortunate namc Rcscarchcrs atCSIRO'6 divislon of horticult.ura1 Pwell'~No 1, has largc. swectly flavored, deep research in Brlsbanc, the University of burgundy fruitz. Quecnsland and the Unlvcrslty of New England in Armldale havc begun an intensive research And 60 to dcsscrt;: we lament the fact that Into the genus (1TAL)Macadamia - 10 specieti Australians, who wcrc eatlng wild-harvested arc currently rccognlsed in ~ustrailaand macadamias as earfy as the 18406. never Indoncsla, and the AustralIan spcclcs are likely appreclatcd the crop's enormous export to make a significant contrlbutlon to breeding putcntial and saw the nut, and even the namc, , new commcrclal varlctles. hyackcd by cnterprislng Amcrlcans. The truth la somewhat different, and cvcn the Hawalians dldn't realise what they had until American tiervicemen stationed on the Islands durlng Much of the genetic diversity in the two edible World War 1 developed a .t.astu for Macadamias, macadamias. M.integrifolia and M.t&traphylla. and took 6amples home. has probably been lost to land clearance for dairy farming and sugar cane farms - isolated Virtually all thc Hawallan plan.tations grow trecs survive in small patches of rainforest cuttlvars derived from the first pocketful of throughout the species' former range. Yet the M. intcgdfolia x t&raphylta hybrid nlhs spiritcd remaining wild exhibit a very high degree of ' out of Brisbanc by William Purvls In 1002. In thc genetic diversity, evident just from the same year Australia's first commcrclal variability of flower shape. Some populations of macadamia orchard plantation was established M.t&traphylla have pink instead of cream atRous Mill, near Brisbanc. By 1900 there were flowers. fivc commcrclal plantations In northern NSW. But the Au6tralian industry failed to thrive - by One of the macadamia species that narrowly 1972, we were producing only 200 tonncs of escaped extinction was M.jansenii, discovered in macadamlas a ycar. a patch of rainforest near Bundaberg in 1982. This species reaches a maximum height of only Thcrc are now two milllon macadamia trecs In 10 metres, compared with 20 to 40 metres for plantations in NSW and Quccnsiand, and we most other macadamias, including existing have surpasssed Hawaii as thc world's largest commercial cultivars. trader in macadamias. Wc have also moved to buy back the farm - Australian companies now Its nuts contain cyanide, a5 do the nuts of the own most of the plantations in Hawaii. fourth species found in the subtropical rainforests of south-eastern Queensland and Hawalian cultivars dominate thc Industry. but north-eastern N5W. M.ternifo/ia. which has they arc not particularly suited tp commcrcial relatively tiny nuts. Both these species cultivation - thcy take around seven ycars to hybridise readily with commercial cultivars, and begin yielding nuts in commercial quantities, could be used to help reduce both the size of and by 15 years the trees havc grown very largc. the , on one hand, and the size of nuts on making them difficutt to spray and harvest. Thc the other - the world would probably welcome a nuts fall short of bcing gobstoppcrs, but they peanut-sized macadamia for snacks, or which havc to be fractured before thcy can bc could be used intact in confectionery. incorporated in confcctioncry or biscuitz. The research team is also working on eliminating cyanide from the toxic macadamia species, The first plant registered under Australian which include three species from north Plant Varlcty Rlghts legislation was a Queensland. M.claudiensis, M.whelanii and macadamia cuttlvar. dcvcloped by a Quccnsland M.grandis. These species do not hybridise with grower, Mr Hcnry Bcll. whlch yields commcrcial the southern species. but have some potentially useful characterist~cs.M.claudiensis produces* nuts the size of a mandarin - with no shell. CONCLUDING REMARK5 Radical new breeding techniques such as protoplast fusion and recombinant DNA Profitable new industries are emerging around technology could overcome the barriers that Australian native plants, and most can be obstruct gene transfer. and gene surgeons are traced to the initiative and dedication of also looking atthe possibility of knocking out enthusiastic amateurs. Australian plants are a the gene whose enzyme converts cyanide from potentially rich resource for both utilitarian and an inactive to its toxic form. aesthetic purposes. Those of us who are passionae about the Australian flora. but who Scientific breeding and selection programs ,i are primarily interested in its acsthctic ' might also bring macadamia relatives like aspects. should not fear or resent the trend - f loydia praclta and Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia towards more utilitarian or commercial uses of into the commercial fold nmtcentury. native plants. but welcome it.

The resulting increase in national "If we want to capitalise awarenees of the Australian flora, and on our native flora- the scientific research upon which new and this is not enterprises will depend, are surely the an immoral ambition- best way to ensure its riches are we must start thinking smart, protected. not rich." +

-4w< - 3 More than a bush tucker book -. --.d" BUSH HERITAGE - AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL %, . -L.~13. - .F;, .. USE BY ABORIGINAL PEOPLE AND COLONISTS IN THE BRISBANE AND

SUNSHINE COAST AREAS. .+ Written and compiled by Pat and Sim Symons. Reviewed by Greening Maroochy Project Oficer Chris Ionkers ;..*.. This interesting and ukeful book provides Aboriginal and Islander communityht a fresh new insight into the use of native Maleny Folk Festivat has resulted thehistory plants andselectednative animals by Abo- book packed with interesting rigines, early explorenand settlers in the information and local Brisbane and Sunshine Coast areas. making it more than just It highlights the unique heritage value book. of our remaining bushland remnants and Aborigines and the encourages the preservation and mainte- close observers of nance of native trees as well as the all vative in their use important understorey and its myriad of meet everyday habitats. This emphasis on biodiversity is nature such an issue central to Greening Australia's producing focus through its many programs and ac- were at tivities Australia wide. Meticulously researched for over five

years, the book describes some 200 useful excerpts from letters, journals and records ~h:, (07)fi 8hm1%. . . .,, $1; &. 6.; .. plant species with scientific names, bo- of early Europeanexplorers, botanists,and : -..k;; , .4;i , ... 3 .,$\ ! tanical names, local Aboriginal names, settlers who lived in or visited the region. . ;I- +... . '' v\ GrowingIdea illustrations, notes on uses and piepara- There is also a summation of the current . ,.+.I . tion, and specific locations of where plants use of the local environment based on a '1;; Win+efl.r;rqq~. ,, r +.-,'. .*< are found. recent DPI assessment of the water catch- . ,:+. . . .

Pat and Sim's long term interest in ment areas of Brisbane, Sunshine Coast -;.$,., local history and their work with the and the Mary Valley. : >$ + 'The Proteaceac are Australia's most :: Ouandon~ Vo12I No I Firsf Quarter 1994 extraordinary plant family. They are unique

relative to other flowering plants-and we ' now believe they date from the time when the Ancient nut trees reappear after earliest flowers appeared, about 110 million r years ago. millions of years 'The million-dollar question is: how did In a week unprecedented in .history, not one, but TWO new 'Living Fossils' were ! flowers come to be? Proteaceae are one of i announced, newly discovered in Australia. And both may be nut trees!. nature's earliest experiments in flower Perhaps the most famous plant 'Living carefully drew and recorded it as the "grand morphology. They represent the origins of . Fossil' is the Ginkgo, also a nut tree. fruit of a long bygone age". life as we know it," Dr . Originally known only as an extinct fossil ' mefrom a tree which had flourished Douglas says. Among their unusual qua@&=, Species from rocks Up (0 200 million years 150-65 million years ago. Then in 1961, is a new drug to treat AIDS--and a bizarre old, living trees were discovered in a small i CSIRO botanist Dr Bernie Hyland pocketed' habit of exploding in the face of a visiting area of China in the 1700s. NOWAsian food some unusual, rock-hard seeds he found on : insect and spewing pollen all over it. stores carry them in cans, under the hame ; Mt BadeFrere in far north Queensland. They The Bade Frere tree, which has not yet 'white nuts' or 'silver alnondr'. i were about 5 cm across and flying-saucer been named. may be the earliest

The articles below give some details of the '1 sham. For nearly 20 years they sat. on his representative of the family found Its flowers

new discoveries, which are exnemely rare ' desk awaiting a link with a living tree. show characteristics far more primitive than events. Quandoflg has contactedDrAt~&ew A month ago he finally tracked down the . other members of the family. ?he fact that it

Douglas to ask ~helherthe fust Wcies, , tree, a rare rainforest denizen.-~tthe time it existed in Victoria, -as well as surviving in related 10 the macadamia; could be close to ' was flowering and setting seed ~yland north Queensland is a further clue that Finschia nuts from New Guinea, since these sent the for classification to &Andrew southern Australia was covered by rainforest, have (he fl~ing-saucefshape noted in the Douglas, an American post-doctoral and had a tropical climate, even ata time when article. Dr Douglas bld w that the nuts were the continent was far to thesouth, still linked actually more spherical, and the new with Antarctica, Dr Douglas says. The

Proteaceae species does not fit in any discovery provides fresh confirmation of the ' modern genus. The second species, the value of Australia as a biological Ark. Wollemi pine, is related to the Bunya Julian Cribb Pine (of the Araucariaceae fm'ly), but - [West Australian 1 1994 Dec 191 again may not fit in any extant family. With the rariry of the marerial, no-one Pine find fills 150 m-year gap has actudly tasted the nuts of either A tree believed extinct 150 million years species, but seecis eaten by rodents had ago but found in a remote area of the Blue been found. Mountains 200 krn west of Sydney is the /The AmroSian I D 5 17-18 19941 missing link in Australia's fauna and flora, ,Tree discovery sheds light on according to one of the - coun~'s top birth of flowers botanists. From the deeps of time, a 50 million- And another expert has claimed that it is year-old Australian fossil tree -one of only the second "living fossil" found on the the ancestors of today's flowering plants planet this century. '- has sprung to life as a result of three Named the Wollemi Pine, the living fossil spectacular discoveries made more than was discovered in Wollemi National Park but ' iwnwapan adiscoycry likely lo The Mncodmia, fhefirst Awtralian plant the exact location will be kept a secret. "We eclipse even this wcek's fiid of the developed for food don't want this unique area trampled on or Wollemi pine near Sydney, a primitive damaged in any way," said NSW ancestor of Australia's unique Proteaceae. - researcher and expert on the Proteaceae, Environment Minister Chris Hartcher. the family which contains banksias, working at the Royal Botanic Garden on a Dr Barbara Briggs, scientific director at grevilleas and waratahs - has been found Pacific Dunlop fellowship. "The fruit was the Royal Botanic Gardens, said the growing on the rainforested slopes of very dilferent from practically anything else. discovery was of major significance to Queensland's Mt Bade Frere. Inside it contained some elaborate Ausualia's history. "This has details that The discovery is already disclosing new convolutions, which were very tell-tale - a match wilh ancient fossils for which we only secrets about the evolution of flowers-as real fingerprint," Dr Douglas told The knew a few parts," she said. well as providing confirmation that southern Weekend Australian. Australia was covered in lush tropical forest In a flash of scientific serendipity, he ata time when it was still linked p Antarctica. linked the seed to the superbly-detailed Professor Carrick Chambers, director of Thestory began in 1875,whena Viclorian lithographs preserved in von Mueller's the Royal Botanic Gardens, said the only amateur collector forwarded a fossil seed records -realising at once that Australia had other discovery of its kind was made in 1944 found near Ballaral lo the colony's chief yielded one of iu most important living whcn another prehistoric tree was found in botanist, , who fossils. China. - Species Spotlight e., . Once the Wollemi pines would havc Lolrrnnclr.cc lo~lgiJolia-mat rush covered vast areas of the continent but as the climate changed the trees apparently Lorrrtrridr-ct longj/blio is a tilssock forming plant which is retreated into the damp, protected gorge. used wiclely Tor landscaping. Its natural distribution cove.rs South "This is a plant family that was . Ausrralia and from Tasmania to Cape York along Australia's east widespread, including the northern coast. The uss socks are generally 60 -70 cm high and about 1 m hemisphere, before that great extinction ... wide. The plants have narrow, arching, strap-like leaves. The when we lost the dinosaurs," Dr Briggs said. crowded flower spikes are held on flattened st'ems which are "It's been in a very sheltered spot and I ' ~nkit's escaped fire for a very long time." shorter than the foliage. The flowers can be strongly perfumed The Wollemi pines have somehow hung and are ilseful for floral arrangements. on through millions of years of massive climate change and terrible aridity in more Lon~crrzdl-aflowers are a source of nectar and as such attract prehistoric Limes, when countless other plants 1 birds. The white base of the foliage was an Aboriginal food perished. I source and tastes somewhat like raw peas. The leaves of the "It is in a very moist situation and I think plant were woven to make dillies and also as bandages for sores it tells us something about how Australia has or abcesses on the arms and legs. dried out climates have changed," Dr Briggs said. "Its relatives are in other parts of the These plants love the conditions along creek banks but will southern continents and so I think it teUs us grow in almost any soil and aspect. They are well suited to part of the story of the evolution of our cascading over concrete edges of water features or paths. They animals and plants since Australia was part of also make good houseplants. Gondwanaland back in that great southern, super continent." hrno~zdrais normally grown from seed but they can also be The previously unknown native tree is a ( grown by division of the clumps. towering 40m tall, with a 3m girth that is - . - +- -. .- - . + covered in a dense, waxy foliage aid has distinctive bubbly bark that makes it look as [Australian Horticulrure / I994 Nov] Suggested species which resulted from though it is coated in Cow Pops. I Acacia seeds for the trials are: Acacia ampliceps, Acacia So far only 23 adult trees and 16juveniles coriacea, Acacia cyclops, Acacia have been found, making it oneof the world's I an consumption holosericea, Acacia murrayana, Acacia rarest plants. Its home is a tiny 5000 sq m relic Tria 1s were carried out in the oswaldii, Acacia ramulosa,Acacia refivinea grove of prehistoric rainforest in the cultivation of selected Acacia species to and Acacia l-da. were ~hosen 500,000ha park facilitate the selection and development of through criterion based on best growing in

the seeds for human consumption, as a ' neglected conditions, best growing in possible future Australian export. nurtured conditions, best to graft together This research selected the most suited both in tissue culture and open field species from over 800 possibilities using situations, highest yields of highly nutritious criterion based on greatest harvest yield. and largest seeds, and best survivor after fastest germination and growth rates, txansplant from protected environments. edibility, nutritional value, size, and A new shed is being COn~t~~~tedOn the frost, drought and disease susceptibilities. Property where field @ials are being anied Studies of germination rates oftreatedand out, to provide a better environment for tissue untreated seed in varying soil types, grafting culture and grafting experiments. Following methods, and tissue culture manipulations its establishment, further approaches will be were conducted. The nutritional content of carried out ten species was also determined. Requests will eventually be made to The overall concept of the projected trials farmers in harsh growing environments to was aimed at two separate but converging donatea small part of both their land and time. Bunya Pine free in a Perfhpark approaches of vegetative multiplication, This will assist in researching what the requirements may be for both the plants id National Parks and Wildlife Service field through tissue culture and grafting. Reasoning for this was to create an improved the growers. It will also broaden the area of officer David Noble, 29, discovered thc pine plants growing in field environments. in August while spending a weekend plant of no more than four metres high, exploring remote areas of the Bluc without thorns or prickles for easier -IflezBrueken Mountains. maintenance, and with larger seeds, still high [Ed: Inez Uruekers iu a studen! /ram Souh in nutrition. Metropoldm College, Murdoch TAFE Campus, He took a lea€ sample whcn hc came and thir abstract from Chrir Oliver describes kr across the unusual-looking wee with fern-like rquued rwLstKk suitable for dipbm ruearch project. Inez is the'daughter of a wide range of leaves and big green cones: 9 and ctimales*wilh a IOrmIVMATCA Vice-Presid~M&tUr~~rs, scion that suitcd thc rootstock and met the ,h, began research work,, criterion listcd above. CL FROM THE RAINFOREST STUDY Bunya Nuts - A Tough Nut to Crack, CROUP. from Geoff Warn of Figtree, NSW. Having been inuitdated with Hutkyn in illanageable sins (provided you doi9i . . Nuts lately and not having near cnough I tried roasting them at 250aC for a have false teeth). Anyway, thw bib seed boxes to plant them aIL, I've had to . range of times up to 20 minutes, by were great when put into a chicken revert to the "Bush Tucker" books lo which time they were fully roasted. stuffing with herbs (not native), as &ey reduce their numbers. Have you ever . While you could easily break the shells softened a bit and gave a pleasant spent an entire afternoon 'peeling' the o en with a nut cracker, they were flavour. nuts from the surrounding flesh? Not an bfdy hard to eat, although a good Meanwhile, the rest I put iab a easy job, and lots of cuts and stab nutty flavour was the reward! Left for a blender with some water to mash them wounds result. Do this while the cones few days, the roasted nuts softened a bit into a coarse paste and used this with are still green; once they've dried out, and were much better. Mind you, both stock, cream and brandy to make the forget it! kinds only received cautious attention sauce. Pretty yummo! So I reckon you Anyway, 1 have soma hints that may from our local SGAP members at the could use Bunyas as a substitute for help other foragers when cleating with last meeting. chestnuts with pretty good results. I these nub. Various books suggest boil- So I threw away the books and tried think they'd also make a great 'Bunya- ing them for 20 cninuts. While this another idea. I baked the nuts for 10 nut Butter", but I don't have any gives a good soft edible nut, it's very minutes only at 250°C in a pre-heated, recipes or a heavy duty blendertsteam difficult to cut the hot nuts out of the fan-forced oven. This was enough to roller necessary to crush the roasted slippery shells. While they are too soft harden the shells so you could use a nut nuts. It would certainly be "crunchy'. for a nutcracker, they are still pretty cracker, but left the nut uncooked and I've also put down a bottle of hard; so a good sharp knife is essential. soft. After shelling them, I cut some of "Bundaberg Bunyas": a recipe from one If they cool down or dry out, the ahells them up into bite-sized pieces before of the Bush Tucker books. This seem to go bad again! (using this roasting for a further 5 minutes at involves a fiddly job of coating the nuts method, the nuts are O.K., a bit like 250°, occasionally shaking them to with toffee (which didn't stick anyway) pine nuts, but they don't keep for very ensure even cooking. While they still and then putting them into a bottle of came out quite hard, they were at least rum for 3 months. long). + .

Like most members of the Sapote August-September is considered Wongai family, the plant produces a milky season. SGAP Qld.Region BULLETIN. March 1995 white sap, but the fruit is edible - one of the few exceptions to the rule stating The Wongai Plum is an attractive, Greg Culvert, plants with white sap should never be although slow growing tree. Seeds Wilderness Lodge, Cape York. eaten. The fruit are egg-shaped, about apparently germinate readily, and there the size of the last joint in your thumb, are specimens in Towamille at and turn bright red when ripe. They Anderson Park, James Cook University The Wongai Plum - Manilkara need to be stored for several days to (nar Biology BuiIding) and at Flecker kabtki (formerly Mbtzusops brownir3 allow the latex to be broken down. Botanic Gardens in Cairns. I wouId be Fmily SAPOTACEAE. When ripe, the fruit darken and become very surprised if no one in Townsville soft. When fully ripe, the Wongai Plum SGAP had one. The Wongai (pronounced wong-eye) tastes almost exactly the same as a Plum is a common tree of islands and commercial date. See you on Cape York! coastal plant communities of Cape + Yock, anywhere from Cmktown north. This tree is famous on Cape York and I The trees can reach heights of up to 20 the Torres Strait Islands, where it is The wongi (Manilkara kaukii), found metres, although they are often seen as considered a delicacy. Its popuIarity is only in north Queensland, has very fairly stunted, windblown specimens. evident from the Wongai Hotel on Horn tasty, orange-red, 3-4 cm long hits, They 'are capable of great age - I how Island and the Wongai Sporting containing several long, shiny seeds. one specimen which is more than 130 Complex on Thursday Island. On The leaves are rigid, blunt-tipped, years old - and the wood is highly Thursday Island (T.I.), there is a dark-green above, pale and silky sought after for carving. legend which states that whoever eats below. Wongi plums are popular the fruit of the Wongai tree on T.I. is among Torres Strait Islanders, who The leaves are spatula-shaped destined to return. On numerous travel from island to island to harvest (spathulate) and are clustered in whorls occasions I have stood on the T.I. jetty the crop. North Queensland at the ends of the brancha~.The tops of and heard greetings to the effect of: Aborigines used to bury the fruits to the leaves are a dusty green and appear "Hey brother, I seen you been eating hasten ripening for big social silver underneath. the Wongai hey? " . gatherings. ~2.i:~~-+ C -

AUSTRALLAN FOOD PLANTS STUDY GROUP 323 Philp Ave.. Wonaai Plum. Fronchville. Qld. 4701