Wildflowers Home > All Wildflowers > Marsileaceae > Marsilea > drummondii

Nardoo

Family: Marsileaceae

Genus: Marsilea

Species: drummondii

Main Flower Colour: Other

Description

Burke and Wills tried to live on Nardoo when they returned to the Dig Tree. Unfortunately they didn't know how to prepare it so that it was nutritious. Marsilea is an aquatic fern that is adapted to desert conditions. It is found in all states of Australia, growing in shallow water or damp ground. It has a rhizome from which fronds arise with leaflets that look like a 4-leaf clover. Spores are held in a small spore capsule. Being a fern, it does not produce flowers.

Identification

The main flower colour is other. 4-leaf clover leaves that are furry.

Uses

Aborigines ground the spore capsules to make a flour for baking. Now used as an aquarium plant.

References

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Marsilea
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2004/marsilea-drummondii.html

Created: 16 Apr 2014 - Member - John and Val
Updated: 07 Apr 2015 - Member - John and Val

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Location

Bio Regions

Carnarvon (CAR), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP)

Region Specifics

Common in desert or semi desert areas when and where there is some moisture.

Related Blogs

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