Billygoat Plum Terminalia ferdinandiana	A.k.a. the Vitamin C tree, the concentration of which is many times greater than oranges.   After flowering in tropical woodland regions from September to December, the fruit ripens to a purple-red colour. Retailer: The Essential Ingredient (02) 9660 1174
	Blue Quandong Elaeocarpus grandis	Blue globular fruits that ripen between August and February, in subtropical rainforest areas.   The outer part of the fruit is fleshy, and encloses a very hard stone with a deeply pitted surface which contains 5 cells, some of which are small and rudimentary. Retailer: Rainforest Liqueurs (07) 3284 2202
	Bunya Nut Araucaria bidwillii	Big starchy seeds, delicious when boiled or baked.   They are almost as popular in Australia as macadamia nuts.   The bunya pine is a large rainforest tree of South Queensland, and drops huge pine cones full of the seeds in autumn. Grower: Emu Logic (02) 6825 4346
	Bush Tomato Solanum centrale	Small shrubs with purple flowers, furry leaves, and fruits like small unripe tomatoes.   Very popular in desert Aboriginal communities, where the fruits are dried like raisins.   Can contain up to twice the vitamin C of oranges.   N.B. Unripe (green) fruits are toxic. Retailers: Bunya Forest Gallery  (07) 4468 3020;   Herbie's Spices (02) 4392 9422
	Common Apple-Berry Billardiera scandens	A.k.a. Apple Dumplings.   15mm long, cylindrical yellow berries taste like stewed Granny Smiths.   One of the first Australian native fruits to be used by colonists.   A forest vine, flowering in October (spring). Growers: Dinkum Fare (03) 5383 6247;   or, Mullungdung Wildflowers (03) 5146 8273
	Finger Lime Microcitrus australasica	The delectable finger lime is a rainforest citrus fruit, that makes excellent jam.   Fruits are up to 7cm long, and either red, yellow, purplish black, or green when ripe.   It is borne on a tiny shrub or small tree, found only in northern New South Wales and Mount Tamborine in Queensland. Retailers: Bronwen Little, (02) 4997 7185,   or, Wattleseed Herbs & Spices (07) 4055 9033
	Giant Sea Celery Apium insulare	Very similar to the wild European herb from which commercial celery was originally bred, Giant Sea celery is halfway between parsley and celery in taste and appearance.   It's a coastal plant, yet has survived frost in central Tasmania. Retailer: Russell Langfield, Grown to order (03) 6497 2002
	Green Plum Buchanania obovata	A.k.a. Wild Mango.   A green, grape-sized fruit that ripens early in the wet season, in tropical woodlands.   Eaten raw.
	Illawarra Plum Podocarpus elatus	A.k.a. Brown Pine.   The plum-like fruit is actually a fleshy sweet stalk, attached to a big stone.   Can be used as a sauce with meats.
	Lemon Myrtle Backhousia citriodora	The leaves are a fresh green colour and strongly lemon-scented, useful in flavouring meat or to freshen the air.   The trees grow in coastal rainforest areas of Queensland. Retailers: Red Ochre Grill,  (07) 4051 0100,  The Grocer,  (08) 9389 8144, or, Tumbeela Native Bush Foods, (08) 8388 7360
	Lilly Pilly Syzygium species	There are sixty different lilly pillies, all appearing to have edible fruit.   Fruit range in colour from white to pink, red, purple, blue or black.   It makes a good jam or summer drink.   When eaten raw, it tastes sour, fragrant, watery and astringent. Retailer: Wattleseed Herbs & Spices, (07) 4055 9033
	Macadamia Nuts	A.k.a. the Queensland nut tree.   Macadamias are marketed worldwide, owing to crop development in the early 1900s by Americans in Hawaii.   Very, very tasty.   One tree may bear 100kg of nuts in a season.   The creamy white kernels are so oily that they'll burn for 5-10 minutes with a bright flame, just like candlenuts.   Grower: Valley of the Mist Bush Fruit and Nuts,  (02) 6568 3268
	Muntries or Muntari Kunzea pomifera	A.k.a. Muntaberry, crab apple or cranberry.   Muntries are small berry-like fruit, that ripen to a deep-purple colour late each summer.   They taste like dried apple.    The woody creeping vines grow in warm coastal areas, on dunes, and in mallee woodlands.
	Quandong Santalum acuminatum	Fruits are rich in vitamin C, and kernels are very high in protein (25%), and oil (70%).    It's an important desert fruit, that bears heavy crops of edible scarlet fruits each spring.   The sour pulp can be dried and used in tarts and pies, or eaten raw, as can the kernels. Retailers: Red Ochre Grill (07) 4051 0100,  or, The Grocer (08) 9389 8144
	Riberry Syzygium leuhmanii	A.k.a. cherry alder.    Probably the most widely grown of all Australian rainforest trees.
	Rosella Hibiscus sabdariffa / heterophyllus	The fleshy red petals make a good jam.   Shrubs or small trees grow in damp forests in eastern Australia and dry tropical open woodlands of the Northern Territory, and ripen in autumn.
	Samphire Sarcocornia quinqueflora	A.k.a. Chicken claws, or Sausage plant.   Samphire is a leafless saltmarsh herb, that photosynthesises through its fleshy stems.   Early settlers used it as a pickle. Chef: Tony Hart, (08) 8362 2584
	Sandpaper Fig Ficus coronata / opposita	Small, sweet, somewhat gritty figs, with leaves that can be used as sandpaper.   Wide-ranging habitat includes the Top End, Queensland and NSW.   It depends on tiny wasps for pollination, and birds and flying-foxes to disperse seeds. Grower: Rainforest Liqueurs, (07) 3284 2202
	Warrigal Greens Tetragonia tetragonoides	A.k.a. New Zealand spinach, but is an Australian native plant.   Grown as a summer spinach, and the first Australian plant to be grown in Europe.   Better cooked than raw.   Very widespread. Growers: Lyle Dudley,  (08) 8666 2013,  or, R. Frigo, (03)9436 8935,  or, Ray & Pat Rogers, Tanamera Bush Foods, (08)8383 0374
	Wattle Seed Acacia species - various	Acacia seeds have several times more protein than wheat.   Dried seeds can be ground, mixed with water to make a paste, and baked into a damper.   Green seeds can be eaten like tiny peas.   Roasted wattle seeds and roots can be made into coffee-substitute drinks, and ice-cream flavourings.   Pale acacia gums can be chewed on like hard toffee, or soaked in water to make a sweet thick jelly, but dark gums are often astringent and unpalatable.
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