"Another curious article of vegetable food was the punga-punga,
the yellow pollen of the raupo flowers. To use it as food it
is mixed with water into cakes and baked. It is sweetish and
light, and reminds one strongly of London gingerbread."

<hw>Puriri</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for the New Zealand
tree, <i>Vitex littoralis</i>, A. Cunn.,
<i>N.O. Verbenaceae</i>; called also <i>New Zealand Oak</i>,
<i>New Zealand Teak</i>, and <i>Ironwood</i>. It is very hard.

1842. W. R. Wade, `Journey in New Zealand' (Hobart Town),
p. 200:

"Puriri, misnamed <i>Vitex littoralis</i>, as it is not found
near the sea-coast."

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 311:

"The Puriri Tree (<i>Vitex littoralis</i>). The stems
. . . vary from straight to every imaginable form of curved
growth. . . The fruit, which is like a cherry, is a favourite
food of the woodpigeon."

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 86:

"A deep ravine, over which grey-stemmed purtris stretched out
afar their gnarled trunks, laden with deep green foliage,
speckled with the warm gleam of ruddy blossoms."

1881. J. L. Campbell, `Poenamo,' p. 102:

"The darker, crimped and varnished leaf of the puriri,
with its bright cherry-like berry."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 209:

"The Puriri . . . on account of the strength of its timber
it is sometimes termed by the settlers `New Zealand Oak,' but
it would be far more correct to name it `New Zealand Teak.'"

<hw>Purple Berry</hw>, <i>n</i>. Tasmanian name for
<i>Billardiera longiflora</i>, Lab., <i>N.O. Pittosporeae</i>.
See <i>Pittosporum</i>.

1880. Mrs. Meredith, `Tasmanian Friends and Foes,' p. 11
[Note]:

"<i>Billardiera longiflora</i>, the well-known beautiful
climber, with pale greenish bell-flowers and purple fruit."
[Also pl. i.]

<hw>Purple Broom</hw>, <i>n</i>. See <i>Broom</i>.

<hw>Purple Coot</hw>, <i>n</i>. another name for the
<i>Swamp-Hen</i> (q.v.).

<hw>Purple Fig</hw>, <i>n</i>. See under <i>Fig-tree</i>.

<hw>Push</hw>, <i>n</i>. a gang. The word is of late very
common in Australia. It was once a prison term. Barrere and
Leland quote from M. Davitt's `Leaves from a Prison Diary,'
"the upper ten push." In Thieves' English it is--(1) a crowd;
(2) an association for a particular robbery. In Australia, its
use began with the <i>larrikins</i> (q.v.), and spread, until
now it often means clique, set, party, and even jocularly s