60 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Maikaika : An orchid (Microtis porrijolia). A small 

 plant. The roots produce a small tuber or bulb. Eaten by 

 children. Sometimes tubers are roasted. 



Pakauroharoha (Poly podium (?) semigenim) : A fern. 

 Young fronds eaten. 



Pa totara (Leucopogon frazeri) : Berries eaten by children. 



Kukuraho : A swamp plant. Roots or base of plant eaten. 

 Eoots are covered with peculiar black knobs — ko aua mea 

 pango nei, ko nga raho ena o Tuna (the eel-god). 



Para taro. — This is unknown to me. Ic is no longer found 

 here, though said to be still found growing in the wild country 

 up the Waioeka River. It was formerly eaten. It is said to 

 have leaves something like those of the nikau, but small. 



Pororua, rau-roroa, and puha-tiotio are three kinds of sow- 

 thistle, all eaten as greens. 



Ongaonga : The tree-nettle (Urtica ferox). The name 

 puruhi is also applied to it, and sometimes it is called houhi. 

 It is the inner bark which is eaten, a thin film resembling the 

 inner layers under the bark of the houhi (Hoheria populnea). 

 It is not cooked in any way, and has a sweet taste. The 

 ongaonga is said to begin life as a number of small plants, 

 which spread (papa uku) over the ground, and are afterwards 

 replaced by a single large stem. 



The Rev. Mr. Colenso states, in his pamphlet before quoted, 

 " The natives [of Rotorua district] masticate continually a 

 kind of resinous gum, insoluble in water. This they obtained 

 from the yukapuka (a shrub)." I cannot ascertain that this 

 gum was so used here, but a gum which exudes from the 

 manuka was eaten. 



Harore. 



Under this generic term the Maori places many kinds of 

 small plants, all of which are termed " toadstools " by us 

 bushmen. Many of them were used as food formerly, and 

 are still used to a less extent. Those coming under the generic 

 term of harore grow up in the winter-time or as winter comes 

 on, and are then collected, cooked, and eaten. They comprise 

 the following kinds : — 



Haioax : This is often eaten without cooking. Grows on 

 dead stumps and trees in summer-time, 



Wairuru : Grows in winter, from ground ; generally found 

 among pctipcti plants and at base of tawa trees. 



Tiki-tehetehe : Grows among manuka and not in bush. 

 Grows all the year. 



Maiheru : Grows from ground in open country all the year 

 round. 



Tipitaha : The mushroom. 



Ipurangi. 



Waeiuae-atua. 



