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double-gee


noun
a. a low-growing plant (Emex australis) having many hard, sharp, spiny seeds that are extremely painful to step on and which will sometimes even puncture through shoe soles.
b. one of these seeds. Compare bullhead, California puncture weed, caltrop, cat head1, cat's eye1, goat's head, three-corner jack. [this word (and the plant itself) came originally to Western Australia in the 19th century from South African; in South African English it was doublejee, from Akrikaans dubbeltjie, from Dutch, where it means, literally, `little double one']

Contributor's comments: Double-gee is a weed that was introduced into WA as food for convicts. I reckon it is called a double-gee because when it goes in you say "Gee!", and when you pull it out, you say "Gee!" again. They are a particularly painful thorn.

Contributor's comments: Double gees are about 5-6mm in diameter with three or four very sharp spikes about 5mm long. Common in agricultural areas of southwest WA. The bottom of your thongs would be covered in them. They are much more annoying to bare feet than burrs that are much softer and have a much greater number of shorter spikes.

Contributor's comments: Called a 'bindi eye' elsewhere: "I trod on a double gee."

Contributor's comments: A sharp prickle found on grass, often get stuck on feet. Have heard them called bindy eyes in other places: "Put your shoes on or you'll have double Gs in your feet."

Contributor's comments: When dried out, a very sharp, hard prickle with long points. Three points so that however it falls it sticks up: "My wife trod on a double gee, because she comes from South Aust she described it as a three cornered jack."