Australian Flora Handbook?

[Big Red]

Good morning everyone,

Apologies if I've missed this when trying to search the forum, but I'm wondering if anyone can point me towards a good, Australian, pocket guide to edible/inedible Flora? The database on the forum is a great resource, but I tend not to carry my phone (well not turned on at least) while out bush.

I recall my Grandfather having a handy little (A5 size perhaps?) paperback with botanical sketches and write ups of hundreds of plants, whether they were safe to eat, how to safely prepare them and symptoms of poisoning from eating the non-safe ones. He spent many years dragging his family through the outback sinking bores, he was the type who would have definitely used some of this info!

I've been hunting around online, and in an old bookstore down here, but can only find American books. If anyone could point me to where to find a good, Aussie based tome, or even just a title/author/publisher to narrow my search, I'd really appreciate it, thanks!

 

[Greatbloke]

Hi Big Red.

Tim Lowe's [ or Low?] book seems to be the most popular book for your needs.

http://bushcraftoz.com/forums/showthread.php?94-Wild-Food-Plants-of-Australia&highlight=lowe

 

[Big Red]

Wow, looks like a winner, thanks. This is the difficulty of browsing forums from my phone, I'm sure if I had searched from a computer I would have found that!

 

[Greatbloke]

Yeah. I knew to search for Tim Lowe so it was easier for me. I sometimes have trouble finding stuff on here that I know is there, computer or phone.

 

[Askew]

Try looking for a field guide to plants as well, not sure what there is that's appropriate for your area though. A field guide will have a key that will help identify plants.

 

[Aussie123]

Also the series of books by A.B and J.W Cribb. These have been around for some time, and contain b&w illustrations:

- Wild food in Australia
- Wild Medicine in Australia
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia

 

[ArcheRoo]

mmm some good advice here! i need to pick up a couple of these books myself!

 

[Reconstructed]

A book I have and have found extremely useful *(we now own 2 copies within the family)
is "How can I use herbs in my daily life" by Isabell Shipard
http://www.herbcottage.com.au/how-can-i-use-herbs-in-my-daily-life.html


Absolutely No Affiliation

 

[Big Red]

Some very interesting titles, thank you, I might have to visit the local library to see if any of those are available

 

[Aussie123]

... also Tim Low "Wild Herbs of Australia and New Zealand"

 

[ArcheRoo]

mmm that wild herbs one sounds good, and i have found the wild edibles one a great resource! have many people looked at the australian fungi book? always expensive when i see it and not sure if it is good? i can't remember the author though...

 

[Aussie123]

mmm that wild herbs one sounds good, and i have found the wild edibles one a great resource! have many people looked at the australian fungi book? always expensive when i see it and not sure if it is good? i can't remember the author though...

There are quite a few fungi books. Here are a few from Google:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...rg.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=shop




Also the free PDF:
Fungi of the Perth Region and Beyond, A Self-Managed Field Book by Neale L. Bougher' which can be printed, or viewed on your device of choice.
I know its "Perth", but much of it is relevant to other parts of Australia too.

http://www.fungiperth.org.au/Fieldbook-all/Perth-Fungi-Field-Book.html

 

[ArcheRoo]

Thanks aussie that pdf looks great! gonna have to download that one!

the bruce A Fuhrer (5th down?) was the one i had seen a bit... any recommendations?

 

[Mozzie]

Another thought for you BIGRED is to ask your local Victorian Nationl Parks Office what books they have on offer, the reason I say this is on the weekend I was at out local Fitzroy Falls Visitors information centre and they had several books for sale.....

 

[Big Red]

Another thought for you BIGRED is to ask your local Victorian Nationl Parks Office what books they have on offer, the reason I say this is on the weekend I was at out local Fitzroy Falls Visitors information centre and they had several books for sale.....

Thanks, that's a good idea. You've just made me realise, why don't I talk to my sister...??! She's one of the weeds experts at the DPI in northern Vic, probably due to catch up with her some time in the next year or so anyway!