As food Sporocarps of some Australian species such as
Marsilea drummondii are edible and have been eaten by Aborigines and early white settlers, who knew it under the name
ngardu or
nardoo. Parts of
Marsilea drummondii contain an
enzyme which destroys
thiamine (vitamin B1), leading to brain damage in sheep and horses. During floods in the
Gwydir River basin 2,200 sheep died after eating nardoo. Three-quarters of the sheep that were affected did however respond to thiamine injections.
Thiamine deficiency from incorrectly prepared nardoo likely resulted in the starvation and death of
Burke and Wills. The leaves of
Marsilea crenata are part of the
East Javanese cuisine of
Indonesia, especially in the city of
Surabaya. It is called
Pecel Semanggi and is served with spicy
peanut and sweet potato sauce.
Ornamental A few species in the genus, such as
Marsilea crenata,
Marsilea exarata,
Marsilea hirsuta, and
Marsilea quadrifolia, are grown in
aquaria.
Formerly placed here •
Salvinia natans (L.) All. (as
M. natans L.) ==Phylogeny==