Molucca
(məˈlʌkə)
Also 7 Molluca, Molucco.
[Appears in Fr. (1522) as Isles Moluques, in It. (1598) as Isole Moluche, and in 17th c. Sp. and Pg. as Maluco, islas Malucas and Molucas.]
The name (the Moluccas, the Molucca Islands) of a group of islands (also called the Spice Islands) situated in the Eastern Archipelago; used attrib. in Molucca balm, a cultivated labiate plant, Moluccella lævis, native of the Eastern Mediterranean region; Molucca bat, the Harpy bat, Harpyia cephalotes, native of the islands of Celebes and Amboyna; Molucca bean, the fruit of a species of bonduc, Guilandina Bonducella; Molucca berry, the fruit of a large tiliaceous tree, Elæocarpus serratus, native of India; Molucca crab, a name for species of the genus Limulus; the king-crab; Molucca deer, a species of deer, Cervus moluccensis, found in the Moluccas; Molucca grains, the seeds of the East Indian tree Croton Tiglium, from which croton oil is extracted; Molucca nut, the bonduc nut (Mayne Expos. Lex. 1856).
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Molucca, *Molucca Balm. 1789 W. Aiton Hortus Kewensis II. 310 Moluccella lævis... Smooth Molucca Balm... Moluccella spinosa... Prickly Molucca Balm. |
| 1781 Pennant Hist. Quad. II. 558 *Molucca Bat. |
| a 1688 J. Wallace Descr. Orkney (1693) 14 Upon the Rocks you will find..very oft these pretty Nutts [marg. *Molluca Beans], of which they use to make Snuff Boxes. 1700 J. Wallace Jr. Acc. Orkney ii. 36 After Storms of Westerly Wind, amongst the Sea-weed, they find commonly in places expos'd to the Western-Ocean these Phaseoli, that, I know not for what reason, go under the Name of Molucca Beans. [Cf. Sloane in Phil. Trans. (1696) XIX. 398, where the name Phaseoli Molucani is cited from Sibbald Prodr. Hist. Nat. Scot. p. 55 part 2.] 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Anacardium, the Portuguese denominate it Fava de Molaqua, the Molucca bean, by which title it is also known in England. |
| 1887 Bentley Man. Bot. (ed. 5) 484 Elæocarpus (Ganitrus) serratus.—The fruits are commonly known under the name of *Molucca Berries. |
| 1681 Grew Musæum i. §v. iv. 120 The *Molucca-Crab. Cancer Molucensis. 1902 P. Kropotkin Mutual Aid 11 The big Molucca crab (Limulus). |
| 1893 Lydekker Horns & Hoofs 299 The *Molucca deer. |
| 1837 Penny Cycl. VIII. 179/2 The seeds of the Croton Tiglii were formerly used as a drastic purgative medicine, under the name of grains of Tilly, or *Molucca grains. |
| 1696 Sloane Catal. Plant. Jamaica 225 *Molucco Nuts of med. cur. |