bean(, Queensland)

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

or Leichhardt, or Match-box


n.

Entada scandens, Benth., N.O. Leguminosae. Though this bean has two Australiannames, it is really widely distributed throughout the tropics.A tall climbing plant; the seeds are used for match-boxes.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 425:

«The seeds are about two inches across, by half-an-inch thick,and have a hard woody and beautifully polished shell, of a darkbrown or purplish colour. These seeds are converted intosnuff-boxes, scent-bottles, spoons, etc., and in the Indianbazaars they are used as weights. (`Treasury of Botany.') Inthe colonies we usually see the beans of this plant mountedwith silver, as match-boxes. The wood itself is soft, fibrous,and spongy.»

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

← match-box   ×   bean-tree →

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