Thomas' List of plant words

[BURTON John]

This is more like it! I'll try and work through Thomas's, Bryant's and the
other lists in the next day or so.
 
Brief comments:
piypiy -- let's not forget tiktik, the 'arrow cane' used for blinds and roof
thatching in Ialibu (I can't check the sp. name today).
 
pitpit moi -- in Western Highlands mui/moi etc is the edible pitpit, Setaria
palmifolia (I have to check which exact languages). Does anyone hear mui/moi
outside Western Highlands?
 
sako: choko (Sechium edule) -- I think this is more usually heard as 'kru
sako', not so much 'lip sako'.
marmar = Gliricidia sepium (used as shade over cocoa in some places) --
marmar is very widespread (does it not cover coffee opposite Korn Farm at
Kagamuga?) so perhaps its meaning should be extended to all similar
African-type shade trees. Where does Gliricidia sepium originate?

John Burton

pitpit: one of two edible grasses (Setaria palmifolia or Saccharum edule)
(May, 1984: 62, 82). 'Pitpit' is also used for tall cane grasses, in
particular Miscanthus floridulus and Saccharum robustum. Saccharum edule
only grows to around 1800m asl, so is called lowlands pitpit. 


pitpit moi: a grass grown in the Highlands (Setaria palmaefolia) (Powell,
1976: 130-131). Setaria palmifolia is an important edible grass that grows
from sea level to around 2400 m asl. It is used extensively in the highlands
as a food. The shoots are eaten raw or cook. I have never heard it called
'moi'. Just 'pitpit'. 


sako: choko (Sechium edule); the plant has an edible fruit (May, 1984: 65).
As the leaves are all that is usually eaten, often called 'lipsako'. 



marmar = Gliricidia sepium (used as shade over cocoa in some places) 


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