Burchardia umbellata
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Burchardia umbellata.jpg
|image_caption = At Anglesea Heath
|genus = Burchardia
|species = umbellata
|authority = R.Br.{{APNI | name = Burchardia umbellata | id = 15642}}
}}
Burchardia umbellata, known as milkmaids, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to woodlands and heath of eastern and southern Australia. It is known in all states. It typically flowers from September until November, in dry sclerophyll forests.[http://www.anbg.gov.au/apu/plants/burcumbe.html Australian Botany Pages.] Australian National Botanic Gardens{{cite book|last=Morcombe|first=Michael|title=Australia's Wildflowers|date=1991|publisher=The Book Company and Ure Smith Press|location=Sydney|isbn=0725408731|page=30|edition=Réimpr.}}
Description
The narrow leaves of Burchardia umbellata are up to 60 cm long by 1.5 to 4 mm wide. Clusters of white or pale pink flowers with reddish centers sit atop a thin stalk that is 50 to 60 cm high. Each flower measures about 2.5 cm wide. There is a cluster of up to ten carrot-shaped tubers at the base, each about 5 mm thick.Low, T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. 1988. {{ISBN|0-207-16930-6}}
Taxonomy
Burchardia umbellata was first described by Robert Brown in 1810.{{Cite POWO|title=Burchardia umbellata R.Br..|id=532312-1|access-date=2025-03-05|mode=cs1}} The genus Burchardia is named for German botanist Johann Heinrich Burckhardt. The Latin species name umbellata means "umbrella" or "parasol", referring to the shape of the umbels of flowers.[http://anpsa.org.au/b-umb.html Burchardia umbellata.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213032327/http://anpsa.org.au/b-umb.html |date=2010-12-13 }} Australian Native Plants Society.
Use as food
Aboriginal Australians eat the potato-like tubers.Gott, B. [http://www.anbg.gov.au/anbg/aboriginal-trail.html Aboriginal Trail.] Australian National Botanic Gardens. The tubers can be eaten raw or cooked. They are white, fleshy, crisp, and starchy, with an undistinguished flavor.
Cultivation
References
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Category:Monocots of Australia
Category:Flora of New South Wales
Category:Flora of South Australia
Category:Flora of Victoria (state)