cranberry(, native)

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

n.


called also Ground-berry

; name given to three Australian shrubs.

1) Styphelia (formerly Lissanthe) humifusa,Persoon, N.O. Epacrideae.

1834. J. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual,' p. 133:

« Astroloma humifusum. The native cranberry has a fruitof a green, reddish, or whitish colour, about the size of ablack currant, consisting of a viscid apple-flavoured pulpinclosing a large seed; this fruit grows singly on the trailingstems of a small shrub resembling juniper, bearing beautifulscarlet blossoms in autumn.»

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 8:

«Commonly called `ground-berry.' In Tasmania the fruits areoften called native cranberries. The fruits of these dwarfshrubs are much appreciated by school-boys and aboriginals.They have a viscid, sweetish pulp, with a relatively largestone. The pulp is described by some as being apple-flavoured,though I have always failed to make out any distinct flavour.»

2) Styphelia sapida, F. v. M., N.O. Epacrideae.

1866. `Treasury of Botany,' p. 688 (`O.E.D.'):

«Lissanthe sapida, a native of South-eastern Australia,is called the Australian Cranberry, on account of itsresemblance both in size and colour to our European cranberry, Vaccinium Oxyconos.»

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 39:

«Native cranberry. The fruit is edible. It is something likethe cranberry of Europe both in size and colour, but its fleshis thin, and has been likened to that of the Siberian crab.[Found in] New South Wales.»

3) Pernettya tasmanica, Hook., N.O. Ericeae(peculiar to Tasmania).

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

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