(Also with hyphens) [F., ‘rock tripe,’ from the appearance of the thallus.] A name originally given in Canada to various edible lichens of the genera Gyrophora and Umbilicaria, which afford a slightly nutritious but bitter and purgative food. Also called rock tripe.
1791. J. Long, Voy. Indian Interpreter, 118. The frost continuing very severe, and no appearance of Indians to supply our wants, we were obliged to take off the hair from the bear skins, and roast the hide, which tastes like pork. This, with some tripe de roche boiled was all our nourishment. Tripe de roche, or howercoon, is a weed that grows to the rocks, of a spongy nature, and very unwholesome, causing violent pains in the bowels, and frequently occasions a flux. Ibid., 126. Our chief food was tripe de roche;… I ordered some to be taken out of the pot, and put into a bark dish, which he tasted, but could not swallow.
1809. A. Henry, Trav., 221. I found a very high rock, and this covered with a lichen, which the Chipeways call waac, and the Canadians, tripe de roche.
1823. Morn. Post, 3 Nov., 4/2. Among the botanical specimens brought home, are considerable quantities of tripe-de-roche, on which Captain FRANKLIN and his brave comrades so long sustained existence.
1848. R. M. Ballantyne, Hudson’s Bay, vi. 120–1. Starvation is quite common among the Indians of those distant regions; and the scraped rocks which they divest of their covering of tripe-de-roche (which resembles dried-up sea-weed), have a sad meaning and melancholy appearance to the traveller who journeys through the wilds and solitudes of Rupert’s Land.
1861. H. Macmillan, Footn. fr. Page Nat., 99. A bitter and nauseous lichen, to which the name of Tripe de Roche (Gyrophora) has been given, as if in mockery.
1878. E. Hodder, Heroes of Britain, I. 211. On the first day of their march Michel stayed behind for a little while, on the pretext of gathering some tripe-de-roche.
1909. P. W. Browne, Where the Fishers Go, 198. ‘Tripe-de-roche’ (Sticla pulmonaria), which is found on the trees as well as on rocks. Newfoundland fishermen term it ‘Molldow’ (Mildew). This contains many nutritive properties; and it is used medicinally by the Indians.
