[Mihalic] tanget and other botanical terms

[Robin Hide]

I believe the most common tanget in New Guinea from sea level to 2000 m  or 
more is now usually known as Cordyline fruticosa (Agavaceae),  which is 
very variable in form.
There is however at least one other species, that would be referred to also 
by TP speakers as tanget: that is Cordyline ledermannii, which was recently 
collected high in beech forest in the Schrader Range of Madang Province 
(Gardner 2002), and there may be other Cordyline spp..

I am not sure if other, somewhat similar, species such as Dracaena sp(p.) 
(Agavaceae)  would also be called tanget by TP speakers.

So tanget refers strictly to Cordyline spp. (tho commonly and centrally C. 
fruticosa), and ?possibly other species (i.e. Dracaena spp.?)

For an international "common" name?  ti is certainly widespread, but also 
cordyline?

Robin Hide

Cited:
Gardner, R.O. 2002. Cordyline ledermannii (Agavaceae) of New Guinea. 
Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 57(1), 26-27.


At 05:39 PM 18/11/2004, you wrote:
>I have a question about "tanget", a word which hasn't yet made its way 
>onto the
>Mihalic website.
>
>I am currently working on a Nalik-English-Tok Pisin dictionary and have 
>come to
>the entry for the Nalik word for "tanget". The Tok Pisin equivalent is easy,
>but what is the internationally recognisable English word? In Hawai'i it's
>called a ti plant, but in Australia? In PNG English it's "tanget", of course,
>spelt "tangket" in the Dellasta PNG Encyclopedia. But internationally? Ti?
>
>That brings up the question as to the target English of PNG dictionaries like
>the Nalik or Mihalic Tok Pisin ones. Should it be PNG English (tanget, laplap,
>tradestore), Aussie English, or some generic international English?
>
>Also, anyone know the correct botanical name for tanget? The original Mihalic
>lists Taetsia fructicosa, but by googling ti plant, I found Cordyline
>terminalis, and the pictures look like our PNG tanget. Can anyone less
>botanically challenged than me help out?
>
>Thanks,
>Craig Volker

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