Blechnum indicum
Encyclopedia
Blechnum indicum or the Swamp Water Fern is often seen growing on sandy soils in swampy areas. The specific epithet indicum is from Latin, revealing this plant was first collected in the East Indies, (Java
). Indigenous Australians
used the starchy rhizome
as food.
This plant was collected with another swamp fern Cyclosorus interruptus
by Joseph Banks
and Daniel Solander
at Botany Bay in 1770
.
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
). Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
used the starchy rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
as food.
This plant was collected with another swamp fern Cyclosorus interruptus
Cyclosorus interruptus
Cyclosorus interruptus is a fern in the Marsh Fern family. With a broad distribution in Australia, India, China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Hawaii and other islands in the Pacific Ocean...
by Joseph Banks
Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage . Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa and the genus named after him,...
and Daniel Solander
Daniel Solander
Daniel Carlsson Solander or Daniel Charles Solander was a Swedish naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus. Solander was the first university educated scientist to set foot on Australian soil.-Biography:...
at Botany Bay in 1770
First voyage of James Cook
The first voyage of James Cook was a combined Royal Navy and Royal Society expedition to the south Pacific ocean aboard HMS Endeavour, from 1768 to 1771...
.