gumleaf

plural gumleaves

1. The leaf of a eucalyptus (gum tree), which is sometimes used as a musical leaf.

   Accipiter cirrocephalus, Collared Sparrowhawk […] In one tree of a belt of Pinus insignis, [a nest] constructed of sticks with gumleaves and pine-needles, lined with fresh gumleaves.

   1927, South Australian Ornithologist, volumes 9-11, page 14

   4 more examples

   Whereas non-Aboriginal Australia projects gumleaf music as a national icon, most Aborigines view it as a 'traditional' cultural activity. Two discrete agendas of cultural symbolism are therefore attached to gumleaf music.

   1999, Gerry Bloustien, Musical Visions, page 10

   '[Koalas] eat gumleaves.' 'Duh!' said Kellee. I waited for her to say something about me eating gumleaves, but I looked up to see Mrs Glover giving her a glare. […] I started again. 'They eat gumleaves. They have to chew them very slowly […]'

   2013, Samantha Wheeler, Smooch & Rose

   Mr Blair and Mr Murphy decided to sleep in the car, and the rest on the gumleaves around the fire. No-one slept very much. The Attorney-General soon relinquished his car for the gumleaves, and gradually the night passed. The city dwellers in the group were gaining a new experience in the west.

   2015, Richard McDonough, Queensland Motoring Dawn, page 268

   People don’ really like my room; Mum comes in sometimes an tells me to clean it. But I like the dried gumleaves tied in bunches, the gumnuts linin the windowsill, bird feathers everywhere. […]

   2019, Alison Evans, Highway Bodies, →ISBN, page 2