Nardoo

Nardoo

Nardoo is a fern with four fronds (divided leaves), making it look like a four-leaf clover. The fronds can lie flat on the water or stand upright. The stem leads down to a horizontal root system called a rhizome.

Small capsules with spores and starch grow on the rhizomes. The capsules can resist droughts for decades.

There is a known Aboriginal practice of harvesting them for food, then treating the capsules to get rid of their toxic enzymes before cooking.


Acknowledgements

Image reproduced courtesy of Bob Winters.