^j^P'"'] KBBt,K, Aboriginal Plant Names. 75 



Nareeng in Nareeng nan. Smooth Cat's Ear, Hypocharis glabra, 

 Linne, is identical with ngarn, long ; nan means above. The 

 meaning " long above " refers to the peduncle. The roots were 

 eaten by the natives. Nering ncr (probably ngarn ngarn) 

 means " very long " — a reference to the stem, which, I believe, 

 was used for weaving. As regards this plant, it is interesting 

 to compare pool booy, " very small " — a reference presumably 

 to the twigs or flowers. 



Kan herr. Prickly Bush Pea, PttltencBa jtiniperina, Labill., 

 comes from kourn, the neck, and berr, to encircle. Some 

 portion of the Prickly Bush Pea was used as a necklace — 

 possibly the seeds or seed-pods. The association of the two 

 syllables in words that refer to ornamentation occurs in kourn 

 hurt or kourn but, a necklace made by threading pieces of 

 reed ; kan berr bay, to deck, dress. 



Koon a de ang, Tall Panax, Panax dendroides, F. von M., 

 comes from ngarn or karn, long ; de or ter, to ; ang or yang, 

 to throw; hence "long to throw away." The first syllable 

 is embodied in the vernacular name. This tall shrub or tree 

 has a very tough wood (Guilfoyle). 



Kaan ung, an unnamed root eaten by the natives. Its 

 meaning — kaan, long, and ung or yung, to throw — would 

 suggest that it was also used for weapons. The kan nan, or 

 digging stick, was, at a pinch, used as a weapon, but was, as 

 far as I can learn, not thrown. Kur wan, Sweet Bursaria, 

 Bursaria spinosa, Cavanilles, from kur, long, and wan, out of, 

 from — suggesting, possibly, that this wood as well as acacia 

 was used for the throwing stick. Compare in this connection 

 kur ruk, throwing stick (from kur, long, and ruk, an arm) ; 

 kur nile, tall : kur run, wattle tree ; kar ran, privet (shrub, 

 possibly another name for the Sweet Bursaria) ; kur ra wan, 

 a kind of flag. In kar ra wang. Solid Apple Berry, 'Billardiera 

 scandens, Labill., ra, possibly an elision of rum, means long 

 and pliable, as in ter ree dee, upright as a stick ; yar ra, hair ; 

 tur ror, worm ; tir rer, eel spear (a wooden prong attached to 

 a reed) ; kur ra wan, split with the nail for weaving. The 

 other roots are in kur wan {supra). The implied meaning is 

 "long and straight for weaving" — a purpose for which it may 

 have been used by the natives. 



Gag ga war (ka ka wa). Soft Water Fern, Lomaria capcnsis, 

 Willd., comes from ka or ge, near ; wa, water — a meaning 

 embodied in the vernacular name. Parts of this fern were 

 roasted and eaten. Wye boo gag ga war. Fishbone Ft'rn, 

 Lomaria ^zsco/or, Willd., is the "little" (wye boo) gag ga war. 



Kad se kad sek, pronounced kad the kad tliek (the " s " being 

 almost inaudible), is the Swamp Dock, Rnmcx Brotvnii, Camp. 

 I have been unable to run down this word. 



