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Karaka berries

Cluster of Karaka berries (Corynocarpus laevigatus).

Karaka berries (Corynocarpus laevigatus) were a traditional Māori food. They had to be meticulously prepared to rid them of their toxin, karakin, or victims suffered violent convulsions and severe muscle spasms that could leave limbs permanently disfigured and often ended in death.

Rights: Jocelyn Winwood
Published:04 September 2012Size: 103.77 KB