botany-bay greens

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

n.


a vegetable common to allthe colonies, Atriplex cinereum, Poir, N.O.Salsolaceae.

1810. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' p. 263:

«Botany Bay greens are abundant; they much resemble sage inappearance; and are esteemed a very good dish by theEuropeans.»

1834. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual,' p. 134:

«I do not think it necessary to enter upon any description ofthe Barilla shrubs ( Atriplex halimus, Rhagodurbillardiera; and Salicornia arbuscula), which, withsome others, under the promiscuous name of Botany Bay greens,were boiled and eaten along with some species of seaweed, bythe earliest settlers, when in a state of starvation.»

1835. Ibid. p. 69:

«Atriplex Halimus. Barrilla. Botany Bay Greens. This is theplant so common on the shores of Cape Barren and other islandsof the Straits, from which the alkaline salt is obtained andbrought up in boats to the soap manufactory at Hobart Town. Ithas been set down as the same plant that grows on the coast ofSpain and other parts of Europe.»

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 9:

«Once used as a pot-herb in New South Wales. Leichhardt used aspecies of Atriplex as a vegetable, and spoke veryhighly of it.»

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