Common Name

Scientific Name

Family

Origin

Purpose

Trees

Blueberry Ash

Elaeocarpus reticulatus

Elaeocarpaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, Tas – gullies and water courses of coast and ranges

Bright blue soft fruits eaten raw

Bolwarra, Native Guava

Eupomatia laurina

Eupomatiaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic – coasts and lower ranges

Fruit eaten raw or dried. Fibrous bark used to make fishing lines

Lilly Pilly

Acmena smithii

Myrtaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic – rainforest from coast to ranges

Fruit can be eaten raw

Macadamia Nut

Macadamia integrifolia

Proteaceae

SE Qld (naturalised in NE NSW)

Kernel of fruit eaten raw or roasted

Magenta Cherry, Daguba

Syzygium paniculatum

Myrtaceae

NSW – subtropical and littoral rainforest from Bulahdelah to Jervis Bay

Fruit eaten raw

Moreton Bay Chestnut, Blackbean

Castanospermum australe

Fabaceae - Faboideae

Qld, NSW – warmer rainforest

Toxic! Beans eaten after extensive water and fire treatment.

Plum Pine

Podocarpus elatus

Podocarpaceae

NSW, Qld – coastal rainforest

Fleshy purpose stalk below hard fruit can be eaten raw and cooked.

Sandpaper Fig

Ficus coronata

Moraceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, NT – creeks and sheltered areas of coasts and tablelands

Fruit eaten when ripe. Sap from plant used in medicine. Leaves used like sandpaper.

Sydney Golden Wattle

Acacia longifolia

Fabaceae - Mimosoideae

NSW, Vic – widespread in coastal areas

Tree used for gum, timber, wood and pollen and fibre. Seeds are edible.

Shrubs

Cinnamon Myrtle

Backhousia myrtifolia

Myrtaceae

NSW, Qld – widespread in warmer rainforest close to streams

Leaves can be crushed and rubbed on skin as insect repellent or dried and used to flavor tea and sweet dishes.

Native Raspberry

Rubus parvifolius

Rosaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, Tas, SA - widespread

Fruits can eaten raw

Narrow-leaf Myrtle

Austromyrtus tenuifolia

Myrtaceae

NSW – Sydney regionNSW, Qld

Fruits edible when soft

White Correa

Correa alba

Rutaceae

NSW, Vic, Tas – sandy and rocky environments on coasts

Attract bees to garden

Herbs and groundcovers

Blady Grass

Imperata cylindrica

Poaceae

Widespread globally

Leaves used to make paper, thatch, weaving into mats and bags. Also used for medicine.

Blue Flax Lily

Dianella congesta

Phormiaceae

NSW

Soft blue fruits edible

Bracken, Gurgi

Pteridium esculentum

Dennstaedtiaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, Tas, SA, WA

Toxic! Starchy rhizomes baked or roasted before eating.

Burrawang

Macrozamia communis

Zamiaceae

NSW

Toxic! Seeds contain starch, but must be treated extensively to destroy toxins.

Creeping Boobialla

Myoporum parvifolium

Myoporoaceae

NSW, SA, Vic

Fruits edible when soft. Leaves medicinal.

Native Ginger

Alpinia caerulea

Zingiberaceae

NSW, Qld – coastal rainforest

Young root tips edible. Pith under skin of fruit has a lemony taste. Leaves used to protect food and provide shelter

Pale Vanilla Lily

Arthropodium milleflorum

Anthericaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, Tas, SA

Tubers eaten raw or roasted

Pennywort

Centella asiatica

Apiaceae

Cosmopolitan species throughout Asia and Australia

Medicinal herb for various ailments

Pigface

Carpobrotus glaucescens

Aizoaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic – coastal sand dunes

Young leaves and fleshy red fruits can be eaten

Warrigal Greens, New Zealand Spinach

Tetragonia tetragonioides

Aizoaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic, WA, SA, NZ – coastal areas and inland saltmarshes

Leaves can be eaten but should be blanched in boiling water to leach out toxins.

Climbers

Southern Melodinus

Melodinus australis

Apocynaceae

NSW, Qld

Pulp of fruits can be raw.

Water Vine

Cissus hypoglauca

Vitaceae

NSW, Qld, Vic – rainforest and wet schlerophyl forest

Edible fruits are blue when ripe. Stems can be cut to provide water.

Zig-zag Vine

Melodorum leichhardtii

Annonaceae

NE NSW to NE Qld, NT and PNG - Tropical closed forests

Fruits can be eaten raw. Plant is important food tree for butterflies.