Austral English Part 158

Mangrove-Myrtle, n. name applied by Leichhardt to the Indian tree Barringtonia acutangula, Gaertn.

(Stravadium rubrum De C.), N.O. Myrtaceae.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 289:

"As its foliage and the manner of the growth resemble the mangrove, we called it the mangrove-myrtle."

Manna, n. the dried juice, of sweet taste, obtained from incisions in the bark of various trees. The Australian manna is obtained from certain Eucalypts, especially E. viminalis, Labill. It differs chemically from the better known product of the Manna-Ash (Fraxinus ornus).

See Lerp.

1835. Ross, `Hobart Town Almanack,' p. 99:

"Several of the species yield an exudation in the spring and summer months, which coagulates and drops from the leaves to the ground in small irregular shaped snow white particles, often as large as an almond [?]. They are sweet and very pleasant to the taste, and are greedily devoured by the birds, ants, and other animals, and used to be carefully picked up and eaten by the aborigines. This is a sort of Manna."

1878. R. Brough Smyth, `The Aborigines of Victoria,' vol. i.

p. 211:

"Two varieties of a substance called manna are among the natural products ... one kind . . . being secreted by the leaves and slender twigs of the E. viminalis from punctures or injuries done to these parts of the tree... .

It consists princ.i.p.ally of a kind of grape sugar and about 5 %.

of the substance called mannite. Another variety of manna is the secretion of the pupa of an insect of the Psylla family and obtains the name of lerp among the aborigines. At certain seasons of the year it is very abundant on the leaves of E. dumosa, or mallee scrub ..."

1878. W. W. Spicer, `Handbook of Plants of Tasmania, p. viii:

"The Hemipters, of which the aphids, or plant-lice, are a familiar example, are furnished with stiff beaks, with which they pierce the bark and leaves of various plants for the purpose of extracting the juices. It is to the punctures of this and some other insects of the same Order, that the sweet white manna is due, which occurs in large quant.i.ties during the summer months on many of the gum-trees."

Manna-Gra.s.s. See Gra.s.s.

Manna-Gum. See Manna and Gum.

Manoao, n. Maori name for a New Zealand tree, Yellow-pine, Dacrydium colensoi, Hook., N.O. Coniferae.

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 192:

"The wood of the manoao is of a light-brown colour."

Manucode, n. The word is in English use for the bird-of- paradise. It is Malay (manuk-dewata = bird of the G.o.ds). The species in Australia is Manucodia gouldii, Grey. See also Rifle-bird.

Manuka, n. the Maori name for Tea-tree (q.v.). Properly, the accent is on the first syllable with broad a. Vulgarly, the accent is placed on the second syllable. There are two species in New Zealand, white and red; the first, a low bush called Scrub-Manuka, L. scoparium, R. and G. Forst., the Tea-tree used by Captain Cook's sailors; the second, a tree Leptospermum ericoides, A. Richard.

1840. J. S. Polack, `Manners and Customs of the New Zealanders,' p. 258:

"This wood, called by the southern tribes manuka, is remarkably hard and durable, and throughout the country is an especial favourite with the natives, who make their spears, paddles, fis.h.i.+ng rods, etc., of this useful timber."

1842. W. R. Wade, `Journey in Northern Island of New Zealand,' p. 75:

"The Manuka, or, as it is called in the northern part of the island, Kahikatoa (leptospermum scoparium), is a mysterious plant, known in Van Diemen's Land as the tea tree."

1843. E. Dieffenbach, `Travels in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 28:

"The manuka supplies the place of the tea-shrub."

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 270:

"[The house] was protected from the weather by a wooden railing filled in with branches of the manuka. This is a shrub very abundant in some parts. The plant resembles the teaplant in leaves and flower, and is often used green by the whalers and traders for the same purpose."

1851. Mrs.Wilson, `New Zealand,' p. 46:

"It is generally made of manuka a very hard, dark, close-grained and heavy wood."

1867. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 121:

"The manuka, a sort of scrub, has a pretty blossom like a diminutive Michaelmas daisy, white petals and a brown centre, with a very aromatic odour; and this little flower is succeeded by a berry with the same strong smell and taste of spice. The shepherds sometimes make an infusion of these when they are very hard up for tea; but it must be like drinking a decoction of cloves."

1871. C. L. Money, `Knocking about in New Zealand,' p. 70:

"Chiefly covered with fern and tea-tree (manuka) scrub."

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 149:

"Then to a copse of manuka retreat, Where they could safely, secretly commune."

[Domett has the following note--"`A large shrub or small tree; leaves used as tea in Tasmania and Australia, where the plant is equally abundant' (Hooker). In the poem it is called indiscriminately manuka, broom, broom-like myrtle, or leptosperm. The settlers often call it `tea-broom.'"]

1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for the Mail,' p. 23:

"A tremendous fire of broadleaf and manuka roared in the chimney."

1889. Ca.s.sell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iv. p. 123:

"Manuka is a shrub which is rampant throughout New Zealand.

If it were less common it would be thought more beautiful.

In summer it is covered with white blossom: and there are few more charming sights than a plain of flouris.h.i.+ng manuka."

Maomao, n. Maori name for a New Zealand sea-fish, Ditrema violacea.

1886. R. A. Sherrin, `Fishes of New Zealand,' p. 67:

"The delicious little maomao may be caught at the Riverina Rocks in immense quant.i.ties."

Maori, n. (p.r.o.nounced so as to rhyme with Dowry). (1) The name used to designate themselves by the Polynesian race occupying New Zealand when it was discovered by the white man, and which still survives. They are not aboriginal as is commonly supposed, but migrated into New Zealand about 500 years ago from Hawaii, the tradition still surviving of the two great canoes (Arawa and Tainui) in which the pioneers arrived. They are commonly spoken of as the Natives of New Zealand.

(2) The language of the Maori race.

(3) adj. applied to anything pertaining to the Maoris or their language. See Pakeha.

There is a discussion on the word in the `Journal of Polynesian Society,' vol. i. no. 3, vol. ii. no. 1, and vol. iii. no. i.

Bishop Williams (4th ed.) says that the word means, "of the normal or usual kind." The Pakehas were not men to whom the natives were accustomed. So Maori was used as opposed to the Europeans, the white-skins. Kuri Maori was a name used for a dog after the arrival of other quadrupeds called also kuri. Wai maori was freshwater, ordinary as opposed to sea-water. Another explanation is that the word meant "indigenous," and that there are kindred words with that meaning in other Polynesian languages. First, "indigenous," or "of the native race," and then with a secondary meaning, "ours." (See Tregear's Maori Comparative Dictionary,' s.v.)