cumbungi
English
Etymology
From an Australian Aboriginal language.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkʌmbʌŋɡi/
Noun
cumbungi (plural cumbungis or cumbungi)
- (Australia) Any of several Australian perennial herbs of the genus Typha, especially Typha domingensis and Typha orientalis.
- Synonyms: cattail, bulrush, reedmace
- 2014 January 10, Gabrielle Chan, “Deserted beaches hide evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal history”, in The Guardian:
- Behind the dune, native bullrush or cumbungi is still growing and was a rich resource for local aborigines. Its big rhizome provides starch used to make bread while its young shoots could be eaten fresh.
Derived terms
- broad-leaved cumbungi (Typha orientalis)
- narrow-leaved cumbungi (Typha domingensis)
Further reading
- “cumbungi”, in Collins English Dictionary.