Mayaka Vine with Fruit

Mayaka Vine with Fruit

Adnyamathanha Yura Wirti Mityi (Plant Name): Mayaka

Scientific Name: Marsdenia Australis, previously Leichharditia australis

Common Names: Native Bush Pear, Bush Banana, Austral Doubah, Doubah, Cogola

Adnyamathanha Yura Traditional Uses of Plant:

One of the most favourite and most sought after Bush Tucker (food) by Adnyamathanha Yura people (and some other Aboriginal Language Groups) is what we call the Mayaka. The reason why it is so well sought after, other than being so delicious, is that whilst it is widespread it is not abundant.

Our Fellow Australians cannot seem to make their minds up about what to call Mayaka in English because they either call it:

Native Bush Pear, Bush Banana, Austral Doubah, Doubah, Cogola, Leichharditia australis (after a famous white explorer, Freidrich Leichhardt, who got lost and was never seen or found again), and more recently Marsdenia australis (The botanical name term ‘Marsdenia’ comes from the name of William Marsden (1754–1836), Irish born orientalist and numismatist, Secretary to the Admiralty, collector of plants in Sumatra.)

Now when will they ever, ever, name a plant species after an Aboriginal group or person, the people who originally discovered that it was an edible food source???

Aboriginal people also have their own individual names for the Mayaka but at least we got the excuse that we speak different languages from each other so of course we would come up with different names.

Mayaka is a twining perennial climber or shrub that usually climbs and twines around an existing tree or plant with its narrow stems. The stems, leaves and flower stalks are covered in fine hairs.

© All Mayaka Photos taken, owned and copyrighted by Marvyn McKenzie

Mayaka Vine with Fruit belongs to the following groups:

Australian Bush ☼ (aspects of realistic Landscapes - ie N0 Abstracts or Macros please!) and Australian Native Plants-2 per day Available for sale as

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