Alpar

“This painting represents the Alpar – Rat Tail plant. The different coloured dots represent the ntange (Alpar seed) both green and dry. These seeds are collected when the plant is dry. The Alpar is named the rat-tailed plant because its flowers form clusters in the shape of a rat-tail spikes.

The seeds of the Alpar are an important food s they are high in protein and low in fibre. They are also collected later in the season when most other plant seed are not. The seed of the alpar plant were one of the many seeds used to make damper the days before processed flour became available. It has a very strong and aromatic smell and taste. Some people in the Utopia region still use it for bush medicine; both the leaves and seed of the Alpar are medicinal. They are soaked in water to be used as a wash or mixed with animal fat to be used as an ointment or boiling the plant and using the liquid as an antiseptic wash.”