Iga—the tree that walked

Abstract

The distribution of the native orange (Capparis mitchellii) in the Northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia is limited generally to a narrow corridor running from Moolawatana Station in the north, to Baratta Springs in the south, on the eastern side of the Ranges. The association of this favoured 'bush tucker' species with Aboriginal occupation sites within that area, and an Adnyamathanha narrative tradition which attributes the origin of the tree in this area to direct human intervention, suggests that the species was introduced to this area from north-eastern Australia by Aboriginal visitors in the pre-European period.