"Pigeon pea". Why so named?
G'day mates,
A question arose today about pigeon pea (still _Cajanus cajan_ to me; but the taxonomists say it's now in _Atylosia_). It was quite a simple question: "Why is pigeon pea called pigeon pea?" [AKA "pigeonpea".] I have to say, I'm damned if I know why! It's been pigeon pea to me since I first met it 40 years ago, and I've never wondered why. According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pigeon+pea it's simply "From the use of its seeds as pigeon feed." While that may well be true, it almost sounds *too* simplistic. After all, the main use is for human food (red gram, toor dal, etc.) especially in India. So where and why has it become associated with bloody pigeons? (An analogous question arises for "chickpea".) Cheers, Phred. -- LID |
"Pigeon pea". Why so named?
"Phred" wrote in message ... | G'day mates, | | A question arose today about pigeon pea (still _Cajanus cajan_ to | me; but the taxonomists say it's now in _Atylosia_). | | It was quite a simple question: "Why is pigeon pea called pigeon | pea?" [AKA "pigeonpea".] | | I have to say, I'm damned if I know why! It's been pigeon pea to me | since I first met it 40 years ago, and I've never wondered why. | | According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pigeon+pea it's simply | "From the use of its seeds as pigeon feed." | | While that may well be true, it almost sounds *too* simplistic. After | all, the main use is for human food (red gram, toor dal, etc.) | especially in India. | | So where and why has it become associated with bloody pigeons? | (An analogous question arises for "chickpea".) | | Cheers, Phred. | | ---------- Ye old — Weeds and Words : The Etymology of the Scientific Names of Weeds and Crops. Robert L Zimdahl Iowa St. U. Press, 1989. Cicer arietinum L. Cicer (L) chickpea. Ok. But why did the Romans call it "chickpea"? ---- Cajanus cajan (l.) Huth Pigeon pea Canan: (L) prop. fr. Malay kachang = bean or pea; also pigeon pea. "The generic and specific names have the same origin, which is unique among the plants included herein. The names are not descriptive of looks or behavior, but the do reveal what is in the language from which the name originated. Pigeon peas are cultivated for their edible seeds in India and other semiarid tropical areas." Say - what 'bout the pigeon- berry. Duranta repens L.? LH Baley Manual of Cultivated Plants McMillian, 1949. -- donald j haarmann --------------------------- His talk was like a stream, which runs With rapid change from rocks to roses; It slipped from politics to puns, It passes from Mahomet to Moses; Beginning with the laws which keep The Planets in their radian courses; And ending with some precept deep For dressing eels, or shoeing horses. Winthrop Mackworth Praed The Vicar |
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