Plants

This dictionary contains only those words that differ from standard Indonesian, following the lists compiled by Takaria & Pieter (1998), Devin, and Pattiasina, with orthography standardised between the three. Stress tends to be noticeably on the penultimate syllable, which plays a significant part in producing the distinctive Ambon accent. Many words are derived from Indonesian by applying the following substitutions:

• Initial -e, -er syllables in grammatical prefixes become -a

  • berdiri → badiri, terbakar → tabakar

• Final -n, -m modifiers become -ng

  • teman → tamang, asam → asang

• Final -k, -h modifiers are dropped

  • anak → ana, bersih → barsi

• Final -u syllable becomes -o

  • arus → aros, mabuk → mabo

• Initial -e, -er syllables more generally become -a

  • mesin → masing, lentera → lanterna

adas manis   anise (pimpinella anisum)   noun

alang-alang   reeds   noun

ampa oras   the marvel of peru flower (mirabilis jalapa)   noun

antawali   a bitter medicinal herb, tinospora crispa   noun

apula   the rotten outer shell of a kanari nut   noun

aruleng   a variety of palm tree (?)   noun

atong   fruit of the tree atuna racemosa   noun

bacang   a variety of mango, mangifera foetida   noun

balimbing bajiku   star fruit, averrhoa carambola   noun

balimbing plesko   the cucumber tree, averrhoa bilimbi   noun

balimbing   plants in the genus averrhoa and their fruit   noun

baluntas   indian camphorweed (pluchea indica), used medicinally   noun

baringing   the weeping fig (ficus benjamina)   noun

baru₅   the sea hibiscus (hibiscus tiliaceus)   noun

bicang   [see bacang]   noun

biludu   the plumed cockscomb flower (celosia argenta)   noun

bintanggor   the tree calophyllun inophyllum, whose fruit is traditionally used to make candles   noun

bintanggur utang   the tree calophyllum soulattri   noun

bistungker   cassava that grows alone in nature (?)   noun

boncis   the green bean (phaseolus vulgaris)   noun

bore₂   the plant derris elliptica, the root of which is used as a medicine and fish poison   noun

brenebon   kidney bean   noun

bua dara   a kind of fruit(?)   noun

bua nona   the sugar-apple tree (annona squamosa) and its fruit   noun

bua putri   the stinking passionflower (passiflora foetida)   noun

bua rai   a mangosteen used in a children’s game: the bottom is been cut off, and the children must guess the number of its internal compartments   noun

bulu baduri   a variety of bamboo (bambusa blumeana)   noun

bulu betung   a variety of bamboo (dendrocalamus asper)   noun

bulu chen   a variety of bamboo   noun

bulu cina   small-leaved bamboo variety (bambusa multiplex), often planted as a garden fence   noun

bulu gila₁   bamboo with magical significance used in a particular dance   noun

bulu hias   [see bulu cina]   noun

bulu jawa   a variety of bamboo (schizostachyum brachyladumi)   noun

bulu kuning   a variety of bamboo   noun

bulu loleba   the black bamboo (neololeba atra)   noun

bulu patong   a large bamboo variety (dendrocalamus asper)   noun

bulu sero   a variety of bamboo (gigantochloa apus)   noun

bulu suanggi   a variety of bamboo (schizostachyum arundinaceae)   noun

bulu tapir   a variety of bamboo   noun

bulu tui   small bamboo variety, either schizostachyum lima or gigantochloa atter   noun

bulu-bulu   bamboo grove   noun

butu kusu-kusu   reed roots   noun

butu mange-mange   mangrove roots   noun

campada   the chempedak tree (artocarpus integer) and its fruit   noun

cangkor   kencur (kaempferia galanga), a rhizome in the ginger family   noun

cengke raja   a variety of clove, possibly syzygium richii   noun

cengke tuni   clove (syzygium aromaticum)   noun

cengke utang   a variety of clove, possibly syzygium makul or the syzygium cumini   noun

cengke   clove (syzygium aromaticum)   noun

cili boku   a small variety of chilli (capsicum fruitescens)   noun

cili bua basar   a large variety of chilli   noun

cili kanop   a round, yellow variety of chilli   noun

cili padi   a small variety of chilli (capsicum fruitescens)   noun

cili   chilli   noun

cincao₁   seaweed   noun

dalima   the pomegranate tree (punica granatum) and its fruit   noun

daong burung   snake jasmine (rhinacanthus nasutus), the roots of which are pounded and used in emulsions to treat skin diseases   noun

daong kikir   rhodamnia waigeoensis, a shrub in the myrtle family, the leaves of which are used to roll cigarettes   noun

daong mayana   the coleus (coleus scutellarioides), the leaves of which are used for eyedrops or as an ingredient in traditional medicines   noun

daong takajo   mimosa pudica, the leaves of which close up when touched   noun

daong   leaf   noun

doriang₁   durian (trees in the genus durio)   noun

duri mimosa   mimosa pudica, the leaves of which close up when touched   noun

ewang₁   dense forest   noun

gaba-gaba   sago palm stem   noun

gadihu   the fire croton (codiaeum variegatum)   noun

galala   the indian coral tree (erythrina variegata)   noun

galici   a small-leaved creeping plant with thorny stems, used to catch bats (?)   noun

galinggi   a plant which bears pods used as congka playing pieces   noun

galoba   a plant in the ginger family, hornstedtia conica, and its fruit   noun

gambir   the plant uncaria gambir, whose leaves are chewed with siri leaves for a stimulant effect   noun

gamutu₁   the aren palm (arenga pinnata)   noun

gandaria   the tree bouea macrophylla and its fruit   noun

ganemo   [see ganemu]   noun

ganemu   the tree gnetum gnemon and its bean (melinjo)   noun

gayang₁   the tahitian chestnut (inocarpus fagifer)   noun

gijawas   [see goyawas]   noun

gintang   cumin   noun

giyawas   [see goyawas]   noun

gofasa   [see gufasa]   noun

gomira   a particular tree with leaves eaten as a vegetable   noun

gomu   breadfruit (artocarpus altilis)   noun

gondal mera   the tree ficus septica   noun

gondal   the red leaf fig (ficus congesta)   noun

goyawas   the common guava (psidium guajava)   noun

gufasa   the new guineea teak (vitex cofassus)   noun

gujawas   [see goyawas]   noun

guyawas kasumba   possibly the watery rose apple (syzygium aqueum)   noun

guyawas   [see goyawas]   noun

hael   branch, as of a coconut tree   noun

halakul   a large tree (?)   noun

haleki raja   the tree gironniera subaequalis   noun

haleki   a species of tree in the genus gironniera or macaranga   noun

haleri   a small tree, the leaves of which are used in traditional medicine   noun

halia   ginger   noun

hanua   a type of tree   noun

hataul   the tree calophyllun inophyllum, whose fruit is traditionally used to make candles   noun

hotong   foxtail millet (setaria italica)   noun

hutang   forest   noun

jabon   the burflower tree (neolamarckia cadamba)   noun

jae   a kind of plant (?)   noun

jaga-jaga₁   branches   noun

jaga₁   tree branch   noun

jagong karing   hard, dried kernels of corn   noun

jagong muda   sweet corn   noun

jagong   corn   noun

jamakat   watermelon   noun

jambu biji kaluar   the cashew tree (anacardium occidentale) and its fruit   noun

jamor   mushroom   noun

jormin   the tahitian gooseberry (phyllanthus acidus), which is often made into a preserve   noun

kacang cina   a subspecies of cowpea (vigna unguiculata cylindrica)   noun

kacang kadele   the soybean (glycine max)   noun

kacang sabel   the jack bean (canavalia ensiformis)   noun

kadondong   the ambarella tree (spondias cytherea) and its fruit   noun

kakopang   the part of a coconut shoot that will develop into a leaf   noun

kalabasa   the calabash tree (lagenaria siceraria)   noun

kaladi bulai   large variety of taro, found on obi island   noun

kaladi inan   round variety of taro   noun

kaladi kiha   a variety of taro that yields no tubers but edible stems, found on obi island   noun

kaladi   taro (colocasia esculenta)   noun

kalapa bali   the palm used for palm oil (elaeis guineensis)   noun

kalapa   coconut   noun

kalore   a flowering cucumber   noun

kalorol   the plant croton tiglium, the seed of which causes severe diarrhoea   noun

kalot kambing   a tree (?)   noun

kamange   thai lemon basil (ocimum × africanum)   noun

kamiri   [see kamiring]   noun

kamiring   candlenut (aleurites moluccanus)   noun

kamuleng utang   a smaller, forest-dwelling variety of kamuleng   noun

kamuleng   a plant that grows by the sea, with edible leaves used as medicine   noun

kanari utang   [see mede-mede] (?)   noun

kanari   the galip nut (canarium indicum) and its tree   noun

kangkong   water spinach (ipomoea aquatica)   noun

kanjoli₁   a tree in the genus calophyllum, and its seeds   noun

kapok   cotton (specifically, cotton from the fluffy innards of the ceiba pentandra seed pod)   noun

kapolat   a shrub with very toxic leaves   noun

kardamong   cardomum, specifically elettaria cardamomum rather than amomum subulatum which is more common on the indian subcontinent   noun

kasbi   cassava   noun

kasowari₂   a tree of the genus casuarina   noun

kastarol   a medicinal plant   noun

katapang   the malabar almond (terminalia catappa)   noun

katumbar   coriander   noun

kayu baru   the sea hibiscus (hibiscus tiliaceus)   noun

kayu besi   the ironwood tree (intsia bijuga)   noun

kayu tanjung   the spanish cherry (mimusops elengi)   noun

kayu titi   the tree gmelina moluccana, the wood of which is used to build dugout canoes   noun

kiming kalapa   the spathe of a coconut inflorescence   noun

kinar   the guest tree (kleinhovia hospita)   noun

koini   a particularly fragrant type of mango, mangifera odorata   noun

kolang susu   the singapore graveyard flower (plumeria obtusa)   noun

komangi   [see kamange]   noun

komanji   [see kamange]   noun

kombili   a variety of sweet potato (coleus rotundifolius)   noun

kondor   the wax gourd / winter melon (benincasa hispida)   noun

konto-konto   paederia verticillata, a weed with smelly leaves   noun

korma   the date palm (phoenix dactylifera) and its fruit   noun

kuku   the nandu wood tree (pericopsis mooniana)   noun

kulor   possibly the breadnut tree (artocarpus camansi)   noun

kumbang   the ylang-ylang (cananga odorata)   noun

kumur₁   twig   noun

kumur₂   the central stem of a mature sago palm leaf   noun

kupa haji   the peacock flower (caesalpinia pulcherrima)   noun

kusu-kusu   [see alang-alang]   noun

kutikata   the bignay (antidesma bunius)   noun

lakuase   [see langkuas]   noun

lalamong   seaweed   noun

lamong   seedling   noun

langkuas mera   red ginger (alpinia purpurata)   noun

langkuas   galangal (alpinia galanga)   noun

langsa   the tree lansium parasiticum and its fruit   noun

lasi₃   the tree semecarpus forstenii   noun

lasi₄   the tree adina fagifolia   noun

lemong cina   calamansi (citrus × microcarpa)   noun

lemong makang   the pomelo (citrus maxima)   noun

lemong manis   the mandarin orange (citrus reticulata)   noun

lemong nipis   the key lime (citrus × aurantiifolia)   noun

lemong wangi   a fragrant kind of citrus used to fragrance the hair   noun

lemong   general term for citrus fruits   noun

lenggua batu   [see lenggua]   noun

lenggua gaba-gaba   [see lenggua]   noun

lenggua mera   a harder, more expensive kind of lenggua   noun

lenggua puti   a softer kind of lenggua   noun

lenggua   the papua new guinea rosewood (pterocarpus indicus)   noun

lidi   stem of a coconut palm leaf   noun

linggua   [see lenggua]   noun

lobe₁   dried coconut leaves   noun

lobi-lobi   [see tomi-tomi]   noun

lombar salak   membrane surrounding salak fruit   noun

lombar₂   sago stem or aren palm stem   noun

lopal   the dry spathe of areca palm flower stalks   noun

lumu-lumu₁   moss   noun

lumu-lumu₂   seaweed   noun

mange-mange   mangrove   noun

manggustang   mangosteen (garcinia mangostana)   noun

manjong   the indian thornapple (datura metel), the dried leaves of which are smoked to treat asthma   noun

mantega₂   the oleander flower (nerium oleander)   noun

marong   the brown kurrajong (commersonia bartramia)   noun

marsegu   the bur tree (nauclea orientalis)   noun

mayang₁   the aren palm (arenga pinnata)   noun

mayang₂   over-ripe   noun

mede-mede   the tree canarium hirsutum   noun

molati   jasmine (jasminum officinale)   noun

mostar   the plant kutchubaea surinamensis   noun

nangka balanda   the soursop tree (annona muricata) and its fruit   noun

nani aer   the tree polyspora amboinensis   noun

nani   the tree metrosideros petiolata   noun

nani₂   the indonesian bay (syzygium polyanthum)   noun

nipa   the nipa palm (nypa fructicans)   noun

oeng   heartwood, the internal core of a branch or tree trunk   noun

ondo   the indian three-leaved yam (dioscorea hispida)   noun

pala₁   the nutmeg tree (myristica fragrans) and its fruit   noun

pangi   the tree pangium edule and its fruit   noun

papaceda   beach cabbage (scaevola taccada)   noun

papinyu   [see papinyo]   noun

patatas   sweet potato (ipomoea batatas)   noun

pate   the bitter bean tree (parkia speciosa) and its beans   noun

patola   chinese okra (luffa acutangula)   noun

pisang abu-abu   a banana-plantain hybrid (musa x paradisiaca) used for cooking   noun

pisang empat pulu hari   banana cultivar   noun

pisang jarong   banana cultivar, musa acuminata malaccensis   noun

pisang meja   [see pisang ambong]   noun

pisang nyonya   banana cultivar   noun

pisang raja itang   banana cultivar   noun

pisang raja jawa   banana cultivar   noun

pisang raja puti   banana cultivar   noun

pisang susu hitam   banana cultivar   noun

pisang susu puti   banana cultivar   noun

pisang susu ternate   banana cultivar   noun

pisang susu   banana cultivar ’lady finger’   noun

pisang tando   banana cultivar   noun

pisang tandu   banana cultivar   noun

pisang tongka langet   banana cultivar   noun

pisang tuju bulang   banana cultivar   noun

pohong   tree   noun

pong   [see pohong]   noun

pule   the blackboard tree (alstonia shcolaris)   noun

rahang   sago, banana, or coconut tree stem   noun

rambutang   the rambutan tree (nephelium lappaceum) and its fruit   noun

rangke   stalk or small branch (technically a peduncle)   noun

rotang   rattan   noun

rumpu alang-alang   cogongrass (imperata cylindrica)   noun

rumpu kuda   guinea grass (megathyrsus maximus)   noun

rumpu kusu-kusu   [see rumpu alang-alang]   noun

rumpu mimosa   snagging mimosa vines   noun

rumpu piso   kodo millet (paspalum scrobiculatum)   noun

rumpu sungga-sungga   the grass austroeupatorium inulifolium   noun

rumpu-rumpu₁   weeds   noun

rumpu-rumpu₂   scraps of rubbish   noun

rumpu₁   grass   noun

runut₁   a textile-like fibre mat that is found on coconut trees   noun

rutu-rutu   an ornamental plant, possibly the madagascar periwinkle (catharanthus roseus)   noun

sagu raja   a variety of kind of sago palm   noun

sagu₁   the sago palm tree (metroxylon sagu)   noun

sahani   green palm frond   noun

salamaker   dried leaves of the castor bean plant (ricinus communis), the bitter decoctions of which are used to treat constipation   noun

salawaku₂   the tree falcataria falcata   noun

samama   the tree neolamarckia macrophylla   noun

sare   lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus)   noun

sarune   a flowering plant   noun

sasawi   pak choi cabbage (brassica rapa)   noun

siri isi   a wild variety of siri that is also chewed   noun

siri kaya   [see bua nona]   noun

siri nitu   a wild variety of siri that is not chewed, the fruit of which is used for medicinal infusions and the leaves in poultices for broken bones   noun

siri popar   the tree ficus septica   noun

siri talang   a wild variety of siri (piper longum) that is not chewed, the root of which is used as incense   noun

siri utang   a wild variety of siri (piper aduncum) that is also chewed   noun

siri   the betel tree (piper betle), whose leaves are chewed with the areca nut (also called betel)   noun

sirkaya   [see bua nona]   noun

sirpopar   [see siri popar]   noun

sukung   breadfruit (artocarpus altilis)   noun

sureng   the iron redwood (toona sureni)   noun

tabaku utang   ngai camphor (blumea balsamifera)   noun

talingang tikus   the jelly ear mushroom (auricularia auricula-judae)   noun

tarigu   wheat   noun

tarong₁   aubergine   noun

teratai   the lotus flower (nelumbo nucifera)   noun

tobu ikang   the species of sugarcane saccharum edule   noun

tobu-tobu   a patch of reeds   noun

tobu₁   sugar cane   noun

tobu₂   any cane or reed plant   noun

tombong₁   coconut sprout which forms a ball inside the fruit   noun

tomi-tomi   the batoko plum (flacourtia inermis)   noun

tongka langit   [see pisang tongka langit]   noun

tongke   [see mange-mange]   noun

tongke-tongke   [see mange-mange]   noun

tui   [see bulu tui]   noun

tumbak₂   shoots, sprouts   noun

tumbulawa   javanese turmeric (curcuma zanthorrhiza)   noun

turati   waterlilies, the genus nymphaea   noun

unin   turmeric, curcuma longa   noun

utang   forest   noun

wa’a   hard outer shell surrounding the pulp of a sago tree   noun

waringing   [see baringing]   noun