Austral English Part 121

1876. `Victorian Hansard,' Jan. 20, vol. xxiii. p. 2002:

"They [the Government] have dealt with the Opposition with a velvet glove; but the iron hand is beneath, and they shall feel it."

1884. G. W. Rusden, `History of Australia,' vol. iii.

p. 406:

"The cloture, or the `iron hand,' as McCulloch's resolution was called, was adopted in Victoria, for one session."

Ironheart, n. a New Zealand tree, Metrosideros tomentosa, N.O. Myrtaceae; native name, Pohutukawa.

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 311:

"It was the `downy ironheart'

That from the cliffs o'erhanging grew, And o'er the alcove, every part, Such beauteous leaves and blossoms threw."

"Note.--This most lovely tree is common about the northern coasts and cliffs of the North Island and the banks of Lake Tarawera."

Ironwood, n. The name is used of many hard-wooded trees in various parts of the world. The Australian varieties are--

Ironwood (Queensland)-- Acacia excelsa, Benth., N.O. Leguminosae; Melaleuca genistifolia, Smith, N.O. Myrtaceae.

Ironwood (North Queensland)-- Myrtus gonoclada, F. v. M., N.O. Myrtaceae.

Ironwood (North New South Wales)-- Olea paniculata, R.Br., N.O. Jasmineae.

Ironwood (Tasmania)-- Notelaea ligustrina, Vent., N.O. Jasmineae.

Scrub Ironwood-- Myrtus hillii, Benth., N.O. Myrtaceae.

For Ironwood of New Zealand, see Puriri.

1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' c. xii.

p. 479:

"A club of iron-wood, which the cannibals had left in the boat."

1823. W. B. Cramp, `Narrative of a Voyage to India,' p. 17:

"... they have a short club made of iron wood, called a waday, and a scimeter made of the same wood."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 579:

"`Ironwood' and `Heartwood' of Tasmania; `Spurious Olive,'

`White Plum' of Gippsland. An exceedingly hard, close-grained wood, used for mallets, sheaves of blocks, turnery, etc. The heartwood yields a very peculiar figure ; it is a very fair subst.i.tute for lignum-vitae."

Irriakura, n. an aboriginal name for the tubers of Cyperus rotundus, Linn., N.O. Cyperaceae, adopted by white men in Central Australia.

1896. E. C. Stirling, `Home Expedition in Central Australia,' Anthropology, p. 60:

"Cyperus rotundus. In almost every camp we saw large quant.i.ties of the tunicated tubes of this plant, which are generally called `Erriakura' or `Irriakura' by the Arunta natives... Even raw they are pleasant to the taste, having an agreeable nutty flavour, which is much improved by the slight roasting."

Ivory-wood, n. an Australian timber, Siphonodon australe, Benth., N.O. Celastrinae.

Ivy, n. a child's name for the ivy-leaf geraniums, especially the double pink-flowered one called Madame Kruse. In Australia the warm climate makes these all evergreens, and they are trained over fences and walls, sometimes to the height of twenty or thirty feet, supplanting the English ivy in this use, and covered with ma.s.ses of flowers.

Ivy, Native, an Australian plant, Muehlenbeckia adpressa, Meissn., N.O. Polygonaceae; called also Macquarie Harbour Vine, or Grape. The name is widely applied also to the acclimatised Cape Ivy, or German Ivy (Senecio scandens).

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 46:

"`Native Ivy,' Macquarie Harbour Vine or Grape of Tasmania.

The currant-like fruits are sub-acid, and were, and perhaps still are, used for tarts, puddings, and preserves; the leaves taste like sorrel."

Ivy, Wild, n. an Australian creeper, Platylobium triangulare, R. Br., N.O. Leguminosae.

Ivy-tree, n. New Zealand tree, genus Panax, N.O. Araliacae; Maori name, Horoeka. It is also called Lancewood (q.v.).

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New' Zealand,' p. 127:

"Horoeka, ivy-tree. an ornamental, slender, and sparingly-branched tree. Wood close-grained and tough."

J

Jabiru, n. The word comes from Brazil, and was first given there to the large stork Mycteria (Xenorhynchus) Americana. The Australian species is M. australis, Lath. It has the back and neck dark grey, changing on the neck to scarlet. There is a black-necked stork in Australia (Xenorhynchus asiaticus), which is also called the Jabiru.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 194:

"We saw a Tabiroo [sic] (Mycteria)."

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 195:

"In October, 1858, I succeeded in purchasing a fine living specimen of the New Holland Jabiru, or Gigantic Crane of the colonists (Mycteria Australis)"

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 323:

"The splendid Australian jabiru (Mycteria Australis), and I had the good fortune to shoot on the wing a specimen of this beautiful variety of the stork family."

Jacana, n. a Brazilian word for a bird of the genus Parra (q.v.). The Australian species is the Comb-crested Jacana, Parra gallinacea, Temm. It is also called the Lotus-bird (q.v.).

Jack in a Box, i.q. Hair-trigger (q.v.).

1854. `The Home Companion,' p. 554:

"When previously mentioning the elegant Stylidium graminifolium (gra.s.s-leaved Jack-in-a-box), which may be easily known by its numerous gra.s.sy-like radical leaves, and pretty pink flowers, on a long naked stem, we omitted to mention a peculiarity in it, which is said to afford much amus.e.m.e.nt to the aborigines, who are, generally speaking, fond of, and have a name for, many of the plants common in their own territories. The stigma lies at the apex of a long column, surrounded and concealed by the anthers. This column is exceedingly irritable, and hangs down on one side of the flower, until it is touched, when it suddenly springs up and shifts to the opposite side of the blossom or calyx."