Bush coconut
Encyclopedia
The Bush coconut, is an Australian bush tucker
food, often eaten by Aborigines
of Central Australia
.
The bush coconut is in fact a combination of plant and animal; the Cysticoccus pomiformis (insect in gall
) grows inside the wood of the Corymbia terminalis
tree.
Bush coconut is called Merne arrkirlpangkwerle in the Arrernte language of Central Australia.
It looks like a small, knobbly woody fruit, ranging in size from a golf ball to a tennis ball, with a milky white flesh inside (the larva of the insect).
Aborigines pick them and crack them open with a rock. The Arrernte
call the insect angure.
Bushfood
Bushfood traditionally relates to any food native to Australia and used as sustenance by the original inhabitants, the Australian Aborigines, but it is a reference to any native fauna/flora that is used for culinary and/or medicinal purposes regardless of which continent or culture it originates...
food, often eaten by Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
of Central Australia
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
.
The bush coconut is in fact a combination of plant and animal; the Cysticoccus pomiformis (insect in gall
Gall
Galls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...
) grows inside the wood of the Corymbia terminalis
Corymbia terminalis
Corymbia terminalis is a tree native to the Central Australian region, particularly around Alice Springs, as well as in semi-arid areas in Western Australia. Its common name is the bloodwood...
tree.
Bush coconut is called Merne arrkirlpangkwerle in the Arrernte language of Central Australia.
It looks like a small, knobbly woody fruit, ranging in size from a golf ball to a tennis ball, with a milky white flesh inside (the larva of the insect).
Aborigines pick them and crack them open with a rock. The Arrernte
Arrernte people
The Arrernte people , known in English as the Aranda or Arunta, are those Indigenous Australians who are the original custodians of Arrernte lands in the central area of Australia around Mparntwe or Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The Arrernte tribe has lived there for more than 20,000 years...
call the insect angure.
See also
- Eucalyptus opaca
- GallGallGalls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...
- Mulga appleMulga appleThe mulga apple, is an Australian bush tucker food, often eaten by Aborigines of Central Australia.The mulga apple is in fact a combination of plant and animal; the insect gall grows inside the wood of the mulga tree ....