kokama

kokama (plural kokamas)

1. (Bechuana) The gemsbok.
   • 1876, The Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London, page 289:

     I have heard that the Matabili have no name for this animal; but the Bechuana term is "Kokama."

   • 1888, John Sterling Kingsley, Mammals, page 326:

     The Oryx capensis of South Africa, or Gemsbok of the Dutch colonists, Kokama of the Bechuanas, is even more striking in its coloring.

   • 1891, The Living World, page 597:

     The Gemsbok (Oryx capensis) is sometimes called the kokama, is nearly four feet in height, and has South Africa as its habitat.

2. (India) The mangosteen.
   • 1903, Rustomjee Naserwanjee Khory & Nanabhai Navrosji Katrak, Materia medica of India and their therapeutics, page 80:

     Kokama or amsul is the pulp of the fruit cleared of the seeds and dried in the sun and slightly salted. It is of a black colour and an oval shape. The epidermis is wrinkled. At the base of kokama the calyx and the remainder of the stalk are often seen.

   • 1883, Sir George Watt, Economic Products of India Exhibited at the Calcutta International Exhibition, 1883-84:

     Kokum, Ratdmbi, the fruit kokama, amasula, brinddo, Bom. ; Brindao, Goa.

3. A variety of corn with purple kernels cultivated by the Hopi.
   • 1999, Virginia D. Nazarea, Ethnoecology: Situated Knowledge/located Lives, →ISBN, page 140:

     Contrast of first and most recent regenerations of USDA Hopi kokoma and blue maize varieties conserved ex situ.

   • 2011, Gary A. David, The Kivas of Heaven: Ancient Hopi Starlore, →ISBN:

     In addition, black (or purple) corn, known as kokoma, or Masau'u's corn, symbolically representing the direction of Above, is planted in May for the fall havest.

   • 2012, Gary Paul Nabhan, Where Our Food Comes From, →ISBN, page 133:

     Among just five families, Whiting found the following grops were still grown on a regular basis: yellow, red, blue, white, violet, pink, and speckled flour and flint corns; purple-backed kokama corn; sweet corn; shite and gray lima beans; white and blue string beans; grease beans; pole beans; white tepary beans; peanuts; watermelons; casaba melons; honeydew melons; muskmelons; banana squash; cushaw squash; Hubbard squash; cucumbers; onions; chilies; tomatoes; turnips; red dye amaranths; cabbages; peaches; pears; apricots; apples; grapes; and cherries.

4. A variety of grass Rottboellia cochinchinensis.
   • 1954, Stephen John Watson, Abstracts on the Conservation of Grass and Other Forage Crops Up to 1939:

     Kokoma or guinea grass (Rottboelia exaltata) is a heavy cropping plant which makes good silage.

   • 2001, Charles A. Lamp, Stephen J. Forbes & J. W. Cade, Grasses of Temperate Australia: A Field Guide, page 17:

     However, 10 of the 18 places are filled by grass species: 2 Cynodon dactylon (couch grass), 2 Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass), 4 Echinochloa colona (awnless barnyard grass(, 5 Eleusine indica (crowsfoot grass), 6 Sorghum halepense (Johnson grass(, 7 Imperata cylindricata (blady grass), 11 Digitaria sanguinalis (summer grass), 13 Avena fatua (wild oat), 17 Paspalum conjugatum (sourgrass) and 18 Rottboellia cochinchinensis (kokoma grass).

kokama (invariable)

1. gemsbok, gemsbuck, South African oryx (Oryx gazella)
2. Synonym of orice gazzella