Nitraria billardierei

Nitre or Dillon Bush
Nitraria billardierei (Nitre Bush)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Nitrariaceae
Genus:	Nitraria
Species:	N. billardierei
Binomial name
Nitraria billardierei DC.[1]

Nitraria billardierei (also Nitraria schoberi) is a perennial salt tolerant shrub. It is often found in saline areas or areas that have been overgrazed. Nitre Bush flowers mainly in spring with small ovoid or oblong fruit (drupe) that are purple, red or golden. While widely known as Nitre Bush it is sometimes referred to as Dillon Bush^[2] The fruit are edible, said to taste like salty grapes, and were eaten by indigenous Australians.^[3] Fruit can also be made into jam or dried and stored. It is a broad and low shrub, up to 2 metres (7 ft) high and 4 m wide.^[4]

Nitre Bush is found in the northern hemisphere and across the mainland states of Australia. In Australia, the plants spread and germination in areas of heavy clay soil is assisted by the fruit's consumption by emus, Australia's native flightless bird.^[5]

References

1. ^ Prodromus 1828 (mid Mar. 1828)
2. ^ Wilson, K. L.. "Nitraria billardierei DC.". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Nitraria~billardierei. Retrieved 2007-11-14. 
3. ^ "Nitre Bush Seeds (10)". Outback Chef. http://www.outbackchef.com.au/product_info.php/products_id/157. Retrieved 2007-11-14. 
4. ^ Bagust, Phil; Tout-Smith, Lynda (2005). The Native Plants of Adelaide. Adelaide: Department for Environment and Heritage. pp. 113. ISBN 0-646-44313-5. 
5. ^ Noble, James C. (November 1975). "The Effects of Emus (Dromaius Novaehollandiae Latham) on the Distribution of the Nitre Bush (Nitraria Billardieri DC.)". The Journal of Ecology (British Ecological Society) Vol. 63 (No. 3): 979–984. doi:10.2307/2258615. JSTOR 2258615.