Wp/nys/Bain (Coastal Pigface)

Bain on Wadjemup

Bain

Bain, Kolbogo or Metjarak (Toodyay only) or in English Coastal Pigface is a plant from South Africa which has made its home wer become naturalized in Noongar boodjar. There is some confusion about nidja, as the English language Wikipedia entry for 28 March 2017 calls it a native wer there is a usage of the name 'native pigface' for bain. Its scientific name is Carpobrotus virescens.

After flowering in Djilba, the petals fall off wer the fruiting base of the flower swells to produce the purplish-red fruit in Birak (around Christmas time). The fruit is highly regarded by local Aboriginal people who freely eat it when it becomes available. Early European settlers also enjoyed the fruit, adding it to their meagre diet wer making jam out of it. The fruit is purplish-red outside, white pulpy flesh inside wer tastes similar to a zucchini.

Bain is a source of food eaten by the Noongar people. After flowering, the plant produces fruit with a juicy centre of seeds in a white pulp which can be eaten fresh or dried. The juice from the leaves of the bain can be used to treat stings, scalds wer burns wer the leaves can also be boiled wer eaten as greens.