Austral English Part 214

This, though a Myrtaceous plant, has all the habits of the Indian figs, reproducing them in the closest manner. It starts from a seed dropped in the fork of a tree, and grows downward to reach the ground; then taking root there, and gaining strength, chokes the supporting tree and entirely destroys it, forming a large trunk by fusion of its many stems.

Nevertheless, it occasionally grows directly from the soil, and then forms a trunk more regular in form."

1883. F. S. Renwick, `Betrayed,' p. 39:

"That bark shall speed where crimson ratas gleam."

1888. Ca.s.sell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iii.

p. 210:

"The foliage of many of the large trees is quite destroyed by the crimson flowering rata, the king of parasites, which having raised itself into the upper air by the aid of some unhappy pine, insinuates its fatal coils about its patron, until it has absorbed trunk and branch into itself, and so gathered sufficient strength to stand unaided like the chief of forest trees, flaunting in crimson splendour."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 263:

"It is invariably erect, never climbing, although bushmen and settlers frequently state that it climbs the loftiest trees, and sooner or later squeezes them to death in its iron clasp.

In proof of this they a.s.sert that, when felling huge ratas, they often find a dead tree in the centre of the rata: this is a common occurrence, but it by no means follows that this species is a climber. This error is simply due to imperfect observation, which has led careless observers to confuse Metrosideros florida [the Akal which is a true climber, with M. robusta."

1892. `Otago Witness,' Nov. 10 [`Native Trees']:

"Rata, or Ironwood. It would be supposed that almost every colonist who has seen the rata in bloom would desire to possess a plant."

1893. `The Argus,' Feb. 4 [Leading Article]:

"The critic becomes to the original author what the New Zealand rata is to the kauri. That insidious vine winds itself round the supporting trunk and thrives on its strength and at its expense, till finally it buries it wholly from sight and flaunts itself aloft, a showy and apparently independent tree."

Rat-tail Gra.s.s, n. name given to-- (1) Ischaemum laxum, R. Br., N.O. Gramineae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 92:

"Rat-tail Gra.s.s. An upright, slender growing gra.s.s; found throughout the colony, rather coa.r.s.e, but yielding a fair amount of feed, which is readily eaten by cattle."

(2) Sporobolus indicus, R. Br., N.O. Gramineae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 109:

"Rat-tail Gra.s.s. A fine, open, pasture gra.s.s, found throughout the colonies. Its numerous penetrating roots enable it to resist severe drought. It yields a fair amount of fodder, much relished by stock, but is too coa.r.s.e for sheep. The seeds form the princ.i.p.al food of many small birds. It has been suggested as a paper-making material."

[See Gra.s.s.]

Raupo, n. Maori name for a New Zealand bulrush, Typha angustifolia, Linn. The leaves are used for building native houses. The pollen, called Punga-Punga (q.v.), was collected and made into bread called pua. The root was also eaten. It is not endemic in New Zealand, but is known in many parts, and was called by the aborigines of Australia, Wonga, and in Europe "Asparagus of the Cossacks." Other names for it are Bulrush, Cat's Tail, Reed Mace, and Cooper's Flag.

1827. Augustus Earle, `Narrative of Nine Months' Residence in New Zealand,' `New Zealand Reader,' p. 67:

"Another party was collecting rushes, which grow plentifully in the neighbourhood, and are called raupo."

1833. Henry Williams's Diary, `Carleton's Life,' p. 151:

"The Europeans were near us in a raupo whare [rush-house]."

1835. W. Yate, `Account of New Zealand,' p. 205:

"To engage the natives to build raupo, that is, rush-houses."

1842. W. R. Wade, `A Journey in the North Island of New Zealand,' `New Zealand Reader,' p. 122:

"The raupo, the reed-mace of New Zealand, always grows in swampy ground. The leaves or blades when full grown are cut and laid out to dry, forming the common building material with which most native houses are constructed."

1843. `An Ordinance for imposing a tax on Raupo Houses, Session II. No. xvii. of the former Legislative Council of New Zealand':

[From A. Domett's collection of Ordinances, 1850.]

"Section 2... . there shall be levied in respect of every building constructed wholly or in part of raupo, nikau, toitoi, wiwi, kakaho, straw or thatch of any description [ ... L20]."

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

p. 380:

"These [the walls], nine feet high and six inches thick, were composed of neatly packed bunches of raupo, or bulrushes, lined inside with the glazed reeds of the tohe-tohe, and outside with the wiwi or fine gra.s.s."

1860. R. Donaldson, `Bush Lays,' p. 5:

"Entangled in a foul mora.s.s, A raupo swamp, one name we know."

1864. F. E. Maning (Pakeha Maori), `The War in the North,'

p. 16:

"Before a war or any other important matter, the natives used to have recourse to divination by means of little miniature darts made of rushes or reeds, or often of the leaf of the cooper's flag (raupo)."

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 308:

"The favourite material of the Maoris for building purposes is Raupo (Typha), a kind of flag or bulrush, which grows in great abundance in swampy places."

1877. Anon., `Colonial Experiences, or Incidents of Thirty-Four Years in New Zealand,' p. 10:

"It was thatched with raupo or native bulrush, and had sides and interior part.i.tions of the same material."

Raven, n. English bird-name. The Australian species is Corvus coronoides, Vig. and Hors.

Razor-grinder, n. a bird-name, Seisura inquieta, Lath. Called also Dishwasher and Restless Fly-catcher. See Fly-catcher.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol.ii.

p. 159:

"Neither must you be astonished on hearing the razor-grinder ply his vocation in the very depths of our solitudes; for here he is a flying instead of a walking animal."

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. ii. pl. 87:

"Seisura Inquieta, Restless Flycatcher; the Grinder of the Colonists of Swan River and New South Wales."

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 332: