The following list provides a short definition of the more commonly used terms within Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga.
acuminate
(of a leaf), tapering to a point
alginic
(chemical) alginic acid is a polysaccharide (complex sugar) found in cell walls in some brown seaweeds that is also used as a thickening agent in the food industry
alkaloid
a class of naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom.
alkanes
(chemical) simple organic compounds of carbon and hydrogen in chains with single (covalent) bonds. N-alkanes are found in the waxes that coat the (upper) surface of leaves
alluvial
refers to material deposited by rivers, such as silt, sand, clay, and gravel, as well organic matter
aluminous
containing alumina or aluminium
anthelmintic
refers to a drug or other material taken to kill or expel worms and other internal parasites without harming the host
antiscorbutic
having the effect of preventing or curing scurvy.
ascomycete
a fungus belonging to the Ascomycota, one of four main groups of fungi; yeasts or sac moulds.
berry
commonly used to refer to any small, usually stoneless, juicy fruit. In botany, a berry is a fleshy fruit without a stone (pit) that is produced from a single flower and contains two or more seeds.
carrageenan
polysaccharides (complex sugars) with sulphur, that are extracted from edible red seaweeds; they are used to thicken foods.
catechin
(chemical) a specific chemical, part of the chemical family of flavonoids, that is a naturally occurring phenol, an antioxidant, and a secondary metabolite in certain plants.
consumptive
a person suffering from the disease tuberculosis, which was also known as consumption
coumarins
(chemical) a group of chemicals derived from coumarin in plants, some of which have medicinal properties
culm
the stem of a grass, particularly the flowering stem.
cultivar
a plant variety that has been selectively bred in cultivation for desirable characteristics.
cwt
hundredweight, a unit of measure for weights. The British hundredweight or long hundredweight was 8 stone or 112 pounds (50.80 kg); this was the usage in New Zealand. The American or short hundredweight was 100 pounds (45.36 kg).
decoction
A method of extraction by boiling to dissolve the chemicals in a material.
diaphoretic
(of a medicine) that induces sweating
Discorea
(part of scientific name) spelling variation/error for Dioscorea, the genus for yam
diterpenoids
(chemical) a group of chemicals mainly found in plants and fungi.
druggist
historically refers to a person who sells drugs; modern equivalent is a chemist or pharmacist.
ecdysone
the insect moulting hormone
emetic
refers to a medicine or other substance that causes vomiting
esculent
something that can be eaten.
falcarindiol
(chemical) a particular chemical; it has antifungal properties, and is the chemical causing bitterness in carrots.
febrifuge
a medicine that reduces fever.
fructose
(chemical) a basic simple sugar or monosaccharide, with a slightly different structure to glucose.
fungoid
caused by a fungus.
galligaskins
a British word for breeches, trousers or gaiters; in the context used here, probably refers to long single leg coverings or long gaiters.
gum
a plant secretion that hardens when it exudes but is soluble in water.
gustable
(of food) an old word for appetising or tasty.
inositol
(chemical) a specific sugar.
isoboldine
(chemical) a specific type of alkaloid.
quinsy
inflammation of the throat, especially an abscess in or near the tonsils.
retting
process of moistening or soaking material such as flax to separate the fibres by partial rotting.
rhizome
an underground plant stem, usually horizontal, that is able to produce roots and shoots.
scrofula
a disease with swelling of the lymph nodes of the neck, most frequently caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis that causes the disease tuberculosis.
scutching
process of separating the fibres of fibrous material, such as retted flax, by beating or scraping with a sharp surface.
snood
(fishing) one of a number of lines, each carrying a baited hook, attached at regular distances along the main line, or a line attaching the hook to the rod line.
sternutatory
causing sneezing.
toxicology
the branch of science that studies the bad effects of chemicals on living organisms, and the diagnosing and treating exposure to toxins.
triterpenes
(chemical) a group of chemicals with the same chemical formula and similar structures.
ulcerogenic
causing ulcers, hence anti-ulcerogenic means preventing the onset of ulcers
vermifuge
a medicine that causes worms to be expelled from the intestines
weft
the threads of the shorter dimension in a woven article are the wefts; the threads of the longer dimension are the warp.