''Burchardia umbellata'', known as milkmaids, is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

native to woodlands and

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler ...

of eastern and southern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is known in all states. It typically flowers from September until November, in dry

sclerophyll Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaf, leaves, short Internode (botany), internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is paral ...

forests.Australian Botany Pages.
Australian National Botanic Gardens

Size and shape

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

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

s at the base, each about 5 mm thick.

Use as food

Aboriginals eat the potato-like tubers.Gott, B
Aboriginal Trail.
Australian National Botanic Gardens. The tubers can be eaten raw or cooked. They are white, fleshy, crisp, and starchy, with a nondescript flavor.

Origin of name

The genus ''

Burchardia ''Burchardia'' is a genus of herbs that are endemic to Australia. The genus is named for Johann Heinrich Burkhardt, a German botanist. ; Species * '' Burchardia bairdiae'' Keighery * '' Burchardia congesta'' Lindl. * '' Burchardia monant ...

'' is named for German botanist Johann Heinrich Burckhardt. The Latin

species name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''umbellata'' means "umbrella" or "parasol", referring to the shape of the

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s of flowers.''Burchardia umbellata''.
Australian Native Plants Society.

Cultivation

''Burchardia umbellata'' is rarely available in nurseries, but it can be propagated by seed and kept in containers. It requires moist, well-drained soils and sun or light shade.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4998201 Bushfood Colchicaceae Monocots of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (Australia) Angiosperms of Western Australia Root vegetables