Cunjevoi

Cunjevoi

Cunjevoi is a word in Australian English that refers to three species: two related plants of the family Araceae and genus Alocasia, and a marine animal, Pyura stolonifera.

Contents

Plants

Cunjevoi can refer to:

  • Alocasia brisbanensis, a species native to rainforests of eastern Australia. It is also known as Native Lily or Spoon Lily. It is toxic to humans.[1]
  • Alocasia macrorrhizos, found in the same region as the above species, but also found in the Pacific islands, where it is referred to as "giant taro" or "elephant ear taro". It is edible if cooked for a long time but is used as a food plant in the Pacific only in times of food shortage.

Marine animal

The Cunjevoi, often known colloquially as "cunjie", is a Tunicate or sea squirt, Pyura stolonifera, found around the edge of the low-tide mark that often forms mats over the rocks. It is sometimes covered in green or brown algae and has a tough brown exterior or 'tunic'.[2] It is related to the Sea tulip. It was a common food source for the local Aboriginal people, but is now used mainly as fishing bait.[3] It is a protected species in some parts of Sydney Harbour.[2]

Etymology

The word cunjevoi appears to be of Indigenous origin, but there seems to be no general consensus as to what it originally meant, or why it may have come to refer to both a marine animal and rainforest plants. See here for a discussion of the origin of the word.

References

Sources


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • cunjevoi — stambiašaknė alokazija statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Aroninių šeimos daržovinis, dekoratyvinis nuodingas augalas (Alocasia macrorrhizos), paplitęs atogrąžų Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Alocasia macrorrhiza; Alocasia macrorrhizos angl. ape;… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • cunjevoi — noun Pyura stolonifera, a coastal sea squirt …   Wiktionary

  • cunjevoi — [ kʌndʒɪvɔɪ] noun 1》 a tall Australian plant of the arum family, with edible corms. [Alocasia macrorrhiza.] 2》 an Australian sea squirt used as fishing bait. [Pyura praeputialis.] Origin C19: of Aborig. origin …   English new terms dictionary

  • cunjevoi — cun·je·voi …   English syllables

  • cunjevoi — I. /ˈkʌndʒəvɔɪ / (say kunjuhvoy) noun a common Australian littoral tunicate, Pyura stolonifera, popular as a fish bait; sea squirt. Also, cunje. {Australian Aboriginal; ? Bundjalung} II. /ˈkʌndʒəvɔɪ / (say kunjuhvoy) noun a hastate leaved… …  

  • cunjevoi — n. Austral. 1 the green arum or spoon lily Alocasia macrorrhiza. 2 a sea squirt. Etymology: Aboriginal …   Useful english dictionary

  • Alocasia brisbanensis — Taxobox name = Alocasia brisbanensis regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Liliopsida ordo = Alismatales familia = Araceae genus = Alocasia species = A. brisbanensis binomial = Alocasia brisbanensis binomial authority = (F.M.Bailey)… …   Wikipedia

  • Ecopoint Angourie Resort Yamba (Yamba) — Ecopoint Angourie Resort Yamba country: Australia, city: Yamba (Yamba) Ecopoint Angourie Resort Yamba The Ecopoint Angourie Resort has been designed to be a world class eco resort blended into the coastal environs of the Yamba peninsular in New… …   International hotels

  • List of English words of Australian Aboriginal origin — These words of Australian Aboriginal origin include some which are almost universal in the English speaking world, such as kangaroo and boomerang . Many such words have also become loan words in other languages beyond English, while some are… …   Wikipedia

  • Alocasia — macrorrhizos Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

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