Austral English Part 151

Lily, Giant-, or Spear-, n.

a fibre plant, Doryanthes excelsa, Corr., N.O. Amaryllideae.

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 339:

"The Doryanthes excelsa, a gigantic Lily of Australia, is a magnificent plant, with a lofty flowering spike. The bunches or cl.u.s.ters of crimson flowers are situated in the summit of the flowering spike ... The diameter of a cl.u.s.ter of blossoms is about 14 inches ... The flower-buds are of a brilliant crimson, and the anthers of the stamens are, in the recently expanded flower, of a dark-green colour."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 621:

"`Spear Lily.' `Giant Lily.' The leaves are a ma.s.s of fibre, of great strength, which admits of preparation either by boiling or maceration, no perceptible difference as to quality or colour being apparent after heckling. Suitable for brush making, matting, etc."

Lily, Gordon, n. a Tasmanian plant and its flower, Blandfordia marginata, Herb., N.O. Liliaceae, and other species of Blandfordia (q.v.).

1835. Ross, `Hobart Town Almanack,' p. 72:

"Blandfordia n.o.bilis. This splendid plant is common on the west coast and on the sh.o.r.es of the Mersey. It bears a head of pendulous scarlet blossoms tipped with yellow, one inch long, rising out of a stalk of from 1 1/2 to 3 feet long, from between two opposite series of strapshaped leaves. It is named after George [Gordon] Marquis of Blandford, son of the second Duke of Marlborough."

Lily, Murray, n. i.q. Darling Lily.

See above.

1877. F. v. Mueller, `Botanic Teachings,' p. 119:

"This showy genus Crinum furnishes also Victoria with a beautiful species, the Murray Lily (Crinum flaccidum), not however to be found away from the Murray-River southward."

Lilly-Pilly, n. name given to a large timber tree, Eugenia smithii, Poir., N.O. Myrtaceae.

The bark is rich in tanning. Sometimes called Native Banana.

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 327:

"The Lillypilly-trees, as they are named by the colonists, consist of several species of Acmena, and are all of elegant growth and dense and handsome foliage."

1879. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New South Wales,' p. 134:

"Eugenia Smithii, or Lilli pilli, and Melodorum Leichhardtii are also fair eating. The latter goes by the name of the native banana though it is very different from a banana, and in reality allied to the custard apple."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 29:

"`Lilly Pilly.' The fruits are eaten by aboriginals, small boys, and birds. They are formed in profusion, are acidulous and wholesome. They are white with a purplish tint, and up to one inch in diameter."

Lily, Rock, n. an orchid, Dendrobium speciosum, Smith, N.O. Orchideae. although not a Lily, it is always so called, especially in Sydney, where it is common.

1879. H. n. Moseley, `Notes by Naturalist on Challenger,'

p. 270:

"A luxuriant vegetation, with huge ma.s.ses of Stagshorn Fern (Platycerium) and `rock-lilies' (orchids), and a variety of timbers, whilst there are Tree-ferns and small palms in the lateral shady gullies."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 22:

"`Rock Lily.' The large pseudobulbs have been eaten by the aboriginals; they contain little nutritive matter."

Lily, Water, n. There are several indigenous native varieties of the N.O. Nymphaeceae--Cabombia peltata, Pursh; Nymphaea gigantea, Hook. (Blue Water-lily).

Lily, Yellow, n. a Tasmanian name for Bulbine bulbosa, Haw., N.O. Liliaceae.

See Leek, Native.

Lime, Native, n. an Australian tree, Citrus australasica, F. v. M., N.O. Rutaceae; called also Finger Lime and Orange. But the appellation of Native Lime is more generally given to Citrus australis, Planch., N.O. Rutaceae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 16:

"`Native Lime. Orange.' The fruit, which is an inch and a half in diameter, and almost globular, yields an agreeable beverage from its acid juice."

Ling, n. a fish. The name is given in England to various fishes, from their length. In New Zealand and Tasmania, it is applied to Genypterus blacodes, Forst.; also called Cloudy Bay Cod. Lotella marginata, Macl., is called Ling, in New South Wales, and Beardie. Genypterus belongs to the Ophidiidae and Lotella to the next family, the Gadidae.

Lobster, n. The name is often carelessly used in Australia for the Crayfish (q.v.).

Lobster's-Claw, n. another name for Sturt's Desert Pea (q.v.).

Locust, n. name popularly but quite erroneously applied to insects belonging to two distinct orders.

(1) Insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. The great black Cicada, Cicada moerens, Germ., and the great green Cicada, Cyclochila australasiae, Donov.

(2) Insects belonging to the order Orthoptera, such as the great green gum-tree gra.s.shopper, Locusta vigentissima, Serv., or the Australian yellow-winged locust, Oedipoda musica, Fab.

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. I. c.

ix. p. 285:

"The trees swarmed with large locusts (the Cicada), quite deafening us with their shrill buzzing noise."

1862. F. J. Jobson, `Australia,' c. iv. p. 104:

"We heard everywhere on the gumtrees the cricket-like insects--usually called locusts by the colonists--hissing their reed-like monotonous noise."

1869. J. Townend, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 155:

"The perpetual song of unnumbered locusts."

1885. H. H. Hayter, `Carboona,' p. 5:

"The deaf'ning hum of the locusts."

1885. F. McCoy, `Prodromus of the Natural History of Victoria,' Dec. 5, pl. 50:

"Our Cicada moerens ... produces an almost deafening sound from the numbers of the individuals in the hottest days and the loudness of their noise." "This species (Cyclochila Australasiae) is much less abundant than the C. moerens, and seems more confined to moist places, such as river banks and deep ravines and gullies."

1889. F. McCoy, `Prodromus of the Natural History of Victoria,' Dec. 11, pl. 110:

"The great size of the muscular thighs of the posterior pair of feet enables the Locusts to jump much higher, further, and more readily than Gra.s.shoppers, giving an example of muscular power almost unparalleled in the animal kingdom."

1896. F. A. Skuse, `Records of Australian Museum,' vol. ii.