Flora of Gor
Brak Bush
Branches of this plant are nailed over doors during the Waiting Hand to discourage bad luck from entering the house in the New Year. The leaves of the brak bush are said to have a purgative effect.
...Almost all doors, including that of the House of Cernus, had nailed to them some branches of the Brak Bush, the leaves of which, when chewed, have a purgative effect. It is thought that...the branches of the Brak Bush discourage entry of bad luck into the houses of the citizens .- Assassin of Gor Chapter 16
Carpet Plant
Found in the rainforests of Schendi; the name may well indicate a variety of creeping, ground covering plants rather than one particular plant. Tendrils of the only reference to a carpet plant throughout the books are mentioned as used for binding, which would indicate rather strong, pliable, perhaps vinelike stems.
I then rose to my feet and walked a few yards away, to a fan palm. From the base of one of its broad leaves I gathered a double handful of fresh water. I retuned to the girl and, carefully, washed out the wound. She winced. I then cut some leaves and wrapped them about it. I tied shut some leaves and wrapped them about it. I tied shut this simple bandage with the tendrils of a carpet plant.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 34
Clover, green
Low leguminous herbs having trifoliate leaves and flowers in dense heads; includes many that are valuable for forage and attractive to bees.
I set her down on a bed of green clover. Beyond it, some hundred yards away, I could see the border of a yellow field of Sa-Tarna and a yellow thicket of Ka-la-na trees.-Tarnsman of Gor, Chapter 7
Colored Grass
On his tour of the gardens of the palace of Saphrar, Tarl Cabot mentions a number of colors of grass which are described as growing in 'patches' in various areas of the garden.
In Witness of Gor, again the lush gardens where we first meet Janice are described in what seems a mosaic of colored grass patches.
...He picked up a stalk of a patch of violet grass, one of several hues used in such gardens, and began to chew on it.-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 19
Fern
Are Mentioned in Nomads of Gor
Festal
A shrub mentioned found in the marshes of the Vosks Delta. No specific description is given.
"What do you see?" I asked. "Shrubbery." He said, "some grass, some rence, two trees."
"What sort of shrubbery?" I asked.
"Some festal," he said. "some tes, a bit of tor."-Vagabonds of Gor, Chapter 30
Hemp
Though we are not given description of what the Gorean version of the hemp plant may look like, its use is mentioned in the making of bow strings.
.. a Gorean long bow of supple Ka-la-na wood, from the yellow wine trees of Gor, tipped with notched bosk horn at each end, loose strung with hemp whipped with silk, and a roll of sheaf and flight arrows.-Raiders of Gor, Chapter 1
Kanda
A shrub of the Gorean deserts whose roots hold a lethal poison. Kanda leaves have a strong, addictive narcotic effect that may make this plant a cousin of the Earth Coca plant. An extremely potent poison is extracted from the roots of the kanda plant, and used to coat the tips of various weapons; it is mentioned on numerous occasions, be it on the tip of the pins free women sometimes hide in their hair, on the tips of arrows, hidden in various items of jewelry or literally dropped by the barrel in water reservoirs as is seen in Tarnsman of Gor, during the siege of Ar. The effect of kanda is said to be extremely rapid.
Most was I surprised to find him holding a tiny, round pipe from which curled a bright wisp of smoke. Tobacco is unknown on Gor, though there are certain vices or habits to take its place, in particular the stimulation afforded by chewing on the leaves of the Kanda plant, the roots of which, oddly enough, when ground and dried, constitute an extremely deadly poison.-Priest Kings of Gor, Chapter 3
Kes
A shrub of the desert lands. Its blue roots are said to be salty and used in the preparation of sullage.
...and the salty, blue secondary roots of the Kes shrub, a small, deeply rooted plant which grows best in sandy soil.-Priest Kings of Gor, Chapter 6
Liana Vine
A creeping vine of the rainforests used as a source of drinking water.
...Another useful source of water is the liana vine. One makes the first cut high, over one's head, to keep the water from being withdrawn by contraction and surface adhesion up the vine. The second cut, made a foot or so from the ground, gives a vine tube which, drained, yields in the neighborhood of a liter of water.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Tes
A shrub mentioned found in the marshes of the Vosks Delta. No specific description is given.
"What do you see?" I asked. "Shrubbery." He said, "Some grass, some rence, two trees."
"What sort of shrubbery?" I asked.
"Some festal," he said. "Some tes, a bit of tor."-Vagabonds of Gor, 30:339
Tor
A bright white or yellow flowering shrub mentionned found among other places, in the marshes of the Vosks Delta. Note that the word Tor, is the Gorean word for 'light'.
"What do you see?" I asked. "Shrubbery." He said, "Some grass, some rence, two trees."
"What sort of shrubbery?" I asked.
"Some festal," he said. "Some tes, a bit of tor."
"You are sure it is a tor shrub?" I asked. He looked. "Yes," he said.
"I too, think it is a tor shrub," I said. The shrub has various names but one of them is the tor shrub, which name might be fairly translated, I would think, as, say, the bright shrub, or the shrub of light, it having that name, I suppose, because of its abundant, bright flowers, either yellow or white, depending on the variety. It was a very lovely shrub in bloom. It was not in bloom now, of course, as it flowers in the fall.-Vagabonds of Gor, Chapter 30
Tospit Bush
Shrub that grows in patches in the western Cartius Valleys, its fruit, small, peachlike, bitter and usually candied, is a popular garnish to many Gorean drinks and foods.
..I raced past a wooden wand fixed in the earth, on top of which was placed a dried tospit, a small, wrinkled, yellowish-white, peachlike fruit, about the size of a plum, which grows on the tospit bush, patches of which are indigenous to the drier valleys of the western Cartius. They are bitter but edible. –Nomads of Gor, Chapter 8
Turl Bush
No specific description is given of this bush other than to mention that its leaves and branches are used in the process of waterproofing hides.
..Such hides may be waterproofed by suspending them from, and wrapping them about, a small tripod of sticks, this set over a small fire on which, to produce the desiderated smoke, the leaves and branches of the turl bush are heavily strewn.-Savages of Gor, Chapter 1
Verr Grass
A brownish grass that grows, stubbornly, in shaded spots of the Tahari.
On the shaded sides of some rocks, and the shaded slopes of hills, here and there, grew stubborn, brownish patches of verr grass.- Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 4
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Crops
Maize
Corn fields are seen in the Barrens, the land of the Red Savages.
Rence
A long stalked plant of the marshes that fills the Delta of the Vosk, rence is used for food, fuel, cloth, and the making of paper that is sold to merchants of Port Kar.
...Then, from within the collar, he drew forth a thin, folded piece of paper, rence paper made from the fibers of the rence plant, a tall, long-stalked leafy plant which grows predominately in the delta of the Vosk.-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 7
Rep
A Gorean version of cotton/wool. The rep plant is cultivated for the fiber found in its pods, from which cloth is woven.
...Rep is a whitish fibrous matter found in the seed pods of a small, reddish, woody bush, commercially grown in several areas, but particularly below Ar and above the equator; the cheap rep-cloth is woven in mills, commonly, in various cities; it takes dye well and, being cheap and strong, is popular, particularly among the lower castes.-Raiders of Gor, Chapter 2
Sa-Tarna
A staple crop of Gor, Sa-Tarna is the Gorean word for 'Life Daughter'; its grains are used in the making of Sa-Tarna bread, usually yellow but not exclusively, as the Taharians are said to have a browner version of it, adapted to growth in the desert lands. Sa-Tarna is also used in the brewing of Sa-Paga or Pagar-Sa-Tarna (Pleasure of Life Daughter), a well known alcoholic beverage of Gor.
Economically, the base of the Gorean life was the free peasant, which was perhaps the lowest but undoubtedly the most fundamental caste, and the staple crop was a yellow grain called Sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter.-Tarnsman of Gor, Chapter 3
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Flowers
Artic flowers
Though we are given no names, description of the far North flora speaks of many hundreds of species.
The tundra at this time of year belies its reputation for bleakness. In many places it bursts into bloom with small flowers. Almost all of the plants of this nature are perennials, as the growing season is too short to permit most annuals to complete their growing cycle. In the winter buds of many of these plants lie dormant in a fluffy sheath which protects them from cold. Some two hundred and forty different types of plants grow in the Gorean arctic within five hundred pasangs of the pole. None of these, interestingly, is poisonous, and none possesses thorns. During the summer plants and flowers will grow almost anywhere in the arctic except on or near the glacial ice. –Beasts of Gor, Chapter 12
Dina
Small, multiple petaled flower of the northern regions akin to the earth rose. It is sometimes referred to as the slave flower and its print is commonly used as a brand.
...my own brand was the dina; the dina is a small, lovely, multiply petaled flower, short-stemmed, and blooming in a turf of green leaves, usually on the slopes of hills, in the northern temperate zones of Gor; in its budding, though in few other ways, it resembles a rose; it is an exotic, alien flower; it is also spoken of, in the north, where it grows most frequently, as the slave flower; ...But perhaps the dina is spoken of as the slave flower merely because, in the north, it is, though delicate and beautiful, a reasonably common, unimportant flower; it is also easily plucked, being defenseless, and can be easily crushed, overwhelmed and, if one wishes, discarded.-Slave Girl of Gor, Chapter 3
Flaminium
A five petaled scarlet flower.
There was a shallow bowl of flowers, scarlet, large-budded, five-petaled flaminiums, on the small, low table between us. –Hunters of Gor, Chapter 11
Fruit tree blossoms
It is to be expected that where there are orchards or even wild fruit trees, there would be blossoms before the crop. On various occasions, ka-la-na thickets are mentioned, as well as the use of larma blossoms as decorations.
Lotus
Flowers which ressemble lotus are mentioned in Tarl's description of the many flowers within the garden of the palace of Saphrar, Merchant of Turia.
From where I sat I could see two lovely pools, in which lotuslike plants floated; one of the pools was large enough for swimming; the other, I supposed, was stocked with tiny, bright fish from the various seas and lakes of Gor.-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 19
Talendar
A delicate flower of bright yellow that is the symbol of beauty and passion.
In the distance, perhaps some forth pasangs away, I saw of set of ridges, lofty and steep, rearing out of a broad, yellow meadow of talendars, a delicate, yellow-petaled flower, often woven into garlands by Gorean maidens.-Outlaw of Gor, Chapter 15
The talendar is a flower which, in the Gorean mind, is associated with beauty and passion. Free Companions, on the Feast of their Free Companionship, commonly wear a garland of talendars. Sometimes slave girls, having been subdued, but fearing to speak, will fix talendars in their hair, that their master may know that they have at last surrendered themselves to him as helpless love slaves.-Raiders of Gor, Chapter 15 ...The talender, fixed in her hair, is a slave girl's wordless confession, which, commonly, she dares not speak, that she cares for her Master.-Hunters of Gor, Chapter 5
Teriotrope
Refered to as colorful and fragrant though not described specifically.
...The multicoloured ribbons were festive; the lamps were lovely; and the flowers, abundant and colourful, mostly larma blossoms, veminia and teriotrope, were beautiful and fragrant..-Guardsman of Gor, Chapter 20
Veminium
A kind of bluish wildflower commonly found on the lower slopes of the Thentis range although said to be common to both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres of Gor. A purplish variety of it is found on the edge of the Tahari, it is called the Desert Veminium. Note that the plural form of the word veminium is veminia.
The petals of veminium, the "Desert Veminium," purplish, as opposed to the "Thentis Veminium," bluish, which flower grows at the edge of the Tahari, gathered in a shallow baskets and carried to a still, are boiled in water. The vapor which boils off is condensed into oil. This oil is used to perfume water. This water is not drunk but is used in middle and upper-class homes to rinse the eating hand, before and after the evening meal. Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 2
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Trees
Cocoa tree
Said to have been brought from Earth in early voyages of acquisition and grown in the Southern Tropical areas of Gor.
"This is warmed chocolate," I said, pleased. It was very rich and creamy.
"Yes, Mistress," said the girl.
"It is very good," I said.
"Thank you, Mistress," she said.
"Is it from Earth?" I asked.
"Not directly," she said. "Many things here, of course, ulti- mately have an Earth origin. It is not improbable that the beans from which the first cacao trees on this world were grown were brought from Earth."
"Do the trees grow near here?" I asked.
"No, Mistress," she said. "We obtain the beans, from which the chocolate is made, from Cosian merchants, who, in turn, obtain them in the tropics." –Kajira of Gor, Chapter 3
Flahdah Tree
A flat topped umbrella-like tree with lanceolate leaves, mentioned as one of the trees found in Tahari desert oases.
..Occasionally we passed a water hole, and the tents of nomads. About some of these water holes there were a dozen or so small trees, flahdah trees, like flat topped umbrellas on crooked sticks, not more than twenty feet high; they are narrow branched, with lanceolate leaves.-Tribesmen of Gor, Chaper 4
Flower Tree
A curved branched tree which is described as 'clusters' of flowers on linear hanging stems.
And so we sat with our backs against the flower tree in the House of Saphrar, merchant of Turia. I looked at the lovely, dangling loops of interwoven blossoms which hung from the curved branches of the tree. I knew that the clusters of flowers which; cluster upon cluster, graced those linear, hanging stems, would each be a bouquet in itself, for the trees are so bred that the clustered flowers emerge in subtle, delicate patterns of shades and hues.-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 19
Hogarthe Tree
A tall poplar type of tree, found in the Barrens along rivers and streams, named after one of the first explorers to the Barrens.
On the rise there were two trees, white barked trees, some fifty feet tall, with shimmering green leaves. They were Hogarthe trees, named for Hogarthe, one of the early explorers in the area of the Barrens. They are not uncommon in the vicinity of water in the Barrens, usually growing along the banks of small streams or muddy, sluggish rivers. Their shape is very reminiscent of poplar trees on Earth, to which perhaps, in virtue of seeds brought to the Counter-Earth, they may be related. –Blood Brothers of Gor, Chapter 34
Ka-la-na Tree
A golden colored tree, its reddish fruit supplies Gor with its prime source of wine, the famed Ka-la-na. Ka-la-na wood is described as supple and strong, Goreans use it in building ships among other things. The long bow of Peasants is also made from a Ka-la-na branch. Ho-Hak reached down and unwrapped the leather from the yellow bow of supple Ka-la-na.-Raiders of Gor, Chapter 3
..Besides several of the flower trees there were also some Ka-la-na trees, or the yellow wine trees of Gor; - Nomads od Gor, Chapter 19
Needle tree
A pinelike evergreen of the Northern forest used in the building of ships. The oil of its needles is also used in the making of perfumes.
..and the needle trees, the evergreens, for masts and spars, and cabin and deck planking.
Raiders of Gor, Chapter 10
Palm Tree
Said to be present in some 1500 varieties in the Schendi Jungles alone. The fan palm, described in Explorers of Gor, was used as a source of drinking water.
There is an incredible variety of trees in the rain forest, how many I cannot conjecture. There are, however, more than fifteen hundred varieties and types of palm alone. Some of these palms have leaves which are twenty feet in length. One type of palm, the fan palm, more than twenty feet high, which spreads its leaves in the form of an opened fan, is an excellent source of pure water, as much as a liter of such water being found, almost as though cupped, at the base of each leaf's stem.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Pod Tree
Said to be found in at least the rain forest area. Its bark is used to make a type of cloth.
...The results of our trading had been two baskets of dried fish, a sack of meal and vegetables, a length of bark cloth, plaited and pounded, from the pod tree, dyed red, a handful of colored, wooden beads, and, most importantly, two pangas, two-foot-long, heavy, curve-bladed bush knives - Explorers of Gor, Chapter 27
Pomegranate
Orchards of pomegranate are found growing at the Oasis of Red Rock.
"Pomegranate orchards lie at the east of the oasis," I said. "Gardens lie inward. There is even a pond, between two of the groves of date palms."-Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 11
Tem
A dark wood tree used in building of ships among other things.
...Tem-wood for rudders and oars-Raiders of Gor, Chapter 10
...there was also, at one side of the garden, against the far wall, a grove of tem-wood, linear, black, supple.- Nomads of Gor, Chapter 19
Tur
A redwood tree used in the building of ships among other things. Its branches host the Tur-Pah, a vinelike parasitic plant with edible leaves. The City of Turia is said to have been named after this tree.
..There was one large trunked reddish Tur tree, about which curled its assemblage of Tur-Pah, a vinelike tree parasite with curled scarlet, ovate leaves, rather lovely to look upon; the leaves of the Tur-Pah incidentally are edible and figure in certain Gorean dishes,; such as sullage, a kind of soup; long ago, I had heard, a Tur tree was found on the prairie, near a spring, planted perhaps long before by someone who passed by; it was from that Tur tree that the city of Turia took its name; -Nomads of Gor, Chapter 19
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Roots, Pods and Bulbs
Leech plant
A plant which draws its name from the fact that it feeds on blood. The leech plant has fanglike hollow thorns that pierce through the skin of its victims. This 'bite' induces a chemical response of bladderlike pods which results in a sucking action, drawing the victim's blood into the leech plant's pods to feed it. It is estimated to have the ability to draw as much as a gill (one fourth of a pint) of blood in a matter of seconds.
Once I shouted in pain. Two fangs had struck into my calf. An ost, I thought! But the fangs held fast, and I heard the popping, sucking sound of the bladder like seedpods of a leech plant, as they expanded and contracted like small ugly lungs. I reached down and jerked the plant from the soil at the side of the road. It writhed in my hand like a snake, its pods gasping. I jerked the two fanglike thorns from my leg. The leech plant strikes like a cobra, and fastens two hollow thorns into its victim. The chemical responses of the bladderlike pods produce a mechanical pumping action, and the blood is sucked into the plant to nourish it. As I tore the thing from my leg, glad that the sting had not been that of the venomous ost, the three hurtling moons of Gor broke from the dark cover of the clouds. I held the quivering plant up. Then I twisted it apart. Already my blood, black in the silvery night, mixed with the juices of the plant, stained the stem even to the roots. In a matter of perhaps two or three seconds, it had drawn perhaps a gill of liquid. With a shudder I hurled the loathsome plant away from the road. Normally such plants are cleared away from the sides of the roads and from inhabited areas. They are primarily dangerous to children and small animals, but a grown man who might lose his footing among them would not be likely to survive.-Outlaw of Gor, Chapter 4
Sip Root
A plant which is not described as much as it is mentioned for its use in the making of slave wine, Gor's mode of contraception. The extremely bitter root of the plant is what Goreans extract to produce the permanent effect of slave wine. In the Barrens, slaves of the Red Savages are simply made to chew the root of the plant itself.
...She did not need the sip root of course for, as she had pointed out, she had had some within the moon, and, indeed, the effect of sip root, in the raw state, in most women, is three or four moons.-Blood Brother of Gor, Chapter 36
...Sip roots were extremely bitter. Slave wine, incidentally, is made from sip roots. The slaves of the red savages, like slaves generally on Gor, would be crossed and bred only as, and precisely as, their masters might choose.-Blood Brothers of Gor, Chapter 12
Telekint
A plant of the Tahari; its roots, mashed & mixed with water, provide a red dye.
The drover threw back the hood of his burnoose, and pulled down the veil about his face. Beneath the burnoose he wore a skullcap. The rep-cloth veil was red; it had been soaked in a primitive dye, mixed from water and the mashed roots of the telekint; when he perspired, it had run; his face was stained.-Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 4
Teslik
A suspected root. Teslik is merely mentioned in passing as being the active ingredient in breeding wine, which is the antagonist to slave wine and given to slaves when it is decided that they will be bred. There is no specific indication as to what teslik really is.
The active ingredient in the breeding wine, or the "second wine," is a derivative of teslik.
Blood Brothers of Gor, Chapter 37
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Fauna of Gor
Birds
Finch
Songbirds are mentioned in as found in the Schendi jungle. Although it is likely that many varieties of finch can be found all over Gor, one variety is specified by name among those of Schendi, that of the whistling finch.
...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Fisher
Waterside birds mentioned in Explorers of Gor
...His head was surmounted by an elaborate headdress, formed largely from the long, white, curling feathers of the Ushindi fisher, a long legged, wading bird.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 18
Fleer
A long billed night hunting bird which is found in at least three varieties. The first mentioned is simply refered to as 'fleer' and found in the Northern forests. The jungles of Schendi and the Barren lands would be home to two more of the Fleer family, respectively, the long billed variety and the yellow prairie fleer, also called the Maize Bird.
...The fleer is a large, yellow, long-billed, gregarious, voracious bird of the Barrens. It is sometimes also called the Corn Bird or the Maize Bird-Savages of Gor, Chapter 14
Gant
The gant is a ducklike bird which is present in various climates, usually found near water. The Marsh gant is native to the Marsh areas on the Delta of the Vosk. Other varieties found throughout Gor include the jungle gant, said to be found on the riversides of the Schendi Jungle area, and the artic variety, which nests on the Northern cliffs. The eggs of the artic gant are eaten frozen.
I heard a bird some forty or fifty yards to my right; it sounded like a marsh gant, a small, horned, web-footed aquatic fowl, broad-billed and broad-winged. Marsh girls, the daughters of rence growers, sometimes hunt them with throwing sticks. –Raiders of Gor, Chapter 1
Gim
An owlike bird that is seen in different varieties, the most common being the purplish Horned gim of the northern forests. Other varieties such as the lang gim (said to be flightless) and the yellow gim can be found in the regions of Schendi.
...and, somewhere, the call of a tiny horned gim, the tiny purplish owllike bird.
Captive of Gor, Chapter 8
...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Gort
A hooked billed variety which feeds on rodents is said to inhabit the jungles of Schendi.
...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Grub borer
A flightless bird which inhabits the ground levels of the Rainforests of Schendi.
...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Gull
Shore birds found along various coastlines. The Vosk Gull, which is said to migrate North in the spring, the more Northern Torvalsdland Gull, possibly also called Coast Gull, said to have 'black tipped' feathers on its wings and tail, and the Schendi Gull, which nests inland at night, found, as its name implies, on the coasts of Schendi, are three of the varieties mentioned throughout the books.
We then waited about a minute, and I saw several birds--river gulls--flying north.
"Those are Vosk gulls," said Kamchak. "In the spring, when the ice breaks in the Vosk, they fly north."-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 11
Twice yesterday, in long games, until the Torvaldsland gulls had left the sea and returned inland, I had failed to meet the gambit.-Marauders of Gor, Chapter 5
Hermit
A woodpecker-type, yellow breasted bird of the Northern forest which bores the bark of Tur trees for larvae.
...Somewhere, far off, but carrying through the forest, was the rapid, staccato slap of the sharp beak of the yellow-breasted hermit bird, pounding into the reddish bark of the Tur tree, hunting for larvae - Hunters of Gor, Chapter 7
Herlit
Large, broad winged, carnivorous bird of the Barrens sometimes called also Sun Striker, whose feathers are prized by Red Savages who use them in the making of ceremonial head dresses.
It was of peeled Ka-la-na wood and, from its top, there dangled two long, narrow, yellow, black tipped feathers, from the tail of the taloned Herlit, a large, broad-winged, carnivorous bird, sometimes called in Gorean the Sun Striker, or, more literally, though in clumsier English, Out-of-the-sun-it-strikes, presumably from its habit of making its descent and strike on prey, like the tarn, with the sun above and behind it. - Savages of Gor, Chpater 9 An adult Herlit is often four feet in height and has a wingspan of some seven to eight feet. The hunter must beware of being blinded or having an artery slashed in the struggle. The fifteen tail feathers are perhaps the most highly prized. They are some fourteen to fifteen inches in height, and yellow with black tips.-Blood Brother of Gor, Chapter 37
Hurlit
More specifically referred to as 'Forest Hurlit', this bird is briefly mentioned in Nomads of Gor, as 'migrating'. There is no description found.
"The first southern migrations of meadow kites," he said, "have already taken place. The migrations of the forest hurlit and the horned gim do not take place until later in the spring. This is the time that the Vosk gulls fly."-Nomads of Gor, Chpater 11
Jard
Scavenger bird possibly reminiscent of Earth's vultures, mentioned in various areas as feading on carcasses. The Schendi variety is described as yellow-winged.
Within the next Ahn we passed more than sixty bodies, dangling at the side of the river. None was that of Shaba. About some of these bodies there circled scavenging birds. On the shoulders of some perched small, yellow-winged jards-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 49
Kite
A 'meadow' variety of this bird is briefly mentioned in Nomads of Gor as 'migrating'. No description found. The kites of Earth are small hawks (family Accipitridae) with long narrow wings and often a notched or forked tail.
The first southern migrations of meadow kites," he said, "have already taken place. The migrations of the forest hurlit and the horned gim do not take place until later in the spring. This is the time that the Vosk gulls fly."-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 11
Lit
The common, crested and needle tail varieties of this brightly plumaged bird inhabit the rainforest inlands of Schendi.
...Behind and about him had swirled a gigantic cloak of yellow and red feathers, from the crested lit and the fruit tindel, brightly plumaged birds of the rain forest-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 18
...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Mindar
A yellow and red short-winged bird of the Schendi regions that feeds from the insects and larvae it finds by digging into flowertree bark with its long sharp bill.
In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits. Monkeys and tree urts, and snakes and insects, however, can also be found in this highest level. In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more- Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Parrots
Colorful birds of the jungles of Schendi
...The canopy, or zone of the canopies, ranges from about sixty to one hundred and twenty-five feet high, Gorean measure. The first zone extends from the ground to the beginning of the canopies above, some sixty feet in height, Gorean measure. We may perhaps, somewhat loosely, speak of this first zone as the "floor," or, better, "ground zone," of the rain forest. In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits - Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Tanagers
A variety of birds said to be found in at least the Schendi regions of Gor.
The term tanager is well known to bird lovers around the world as an adaptation of the Portuguese word tangará, which refers to any of numerous chiefly tropical American oscine birds (family Thraupidae). Tanagers of Earth are usually brightly colored, unmusical and inhabit mostly woodlands.
...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more - Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Tarn
Gigantic, fierce, hawklike, crested draft and/or saddlebird of Gor. There are many sorts of tarns, war tarns, racing tarns, draft tarns, and so on.
The plumage of tarns is various, and they are bred for their colors as well as their strength and intelligence. Black tarns are used for night raids, white tarns in winter campaigns, and multicolored, resplendent tarns are bred for warriars who wish to ride proudly, regardless of the lack of camouflage. The most common tarn, however, is greenish brown. Disregarding the disproportion in size, the Earth bird which the tarn most closely resembles is the hawk, with the exception that it bas a crest somewhat of the nature of a jay's.
Tarns, who are vicious things, are seldom more than half tamed and, like their diminutive earthly counterparts, the hawks, are carnivorous. It is not unknown for a tarn to attack and devour his own rider. They fear nothing but the tarn-goad. They are trained by men of the Caste of Tarn Keepers to respond to it while still young, when they can be fastened by wires to the training perches. Whenever a young bird soars away or refuses obedience in some fashion, he is dragged back to the perch and beaten with the tarn-goad. Rings, comparable to those which are fastened on the legs of the young birds, are worn by the adult birds to reinforce the memory of the hobbling wire and the tarn-goad. Later, of course, the adult birds are not fastened, but the conditioning given them in their youth usually holds, except when they become abnormally disturbed or have not been able to obtain food. The tarn is one of the two most common mounts of a Gorean warrior; the other is the high tharlarion, a species of saddle lizard, used mostly by clans who have never mastered tarns. No one in the City of Cylinders, as far as I knew, maintained tharlarions, though they were supposedly quite common on Gor, particularly in the lower areas--in swampland and on the deserts.
The Older Tarl had mounted his tarn, climbing up the five-rung leather mounting ladder which hangs on the left side of the saddle and is pulled up in flight. He fastened himself in the saddle with a broad purple strap. He tossed me a small object which. nearly fell from my fumbling hands. It was a tarn whistle, with its own note, which would summon one tarn, and one tarn only, the mount which was intended for me. Never since the panic of the disoriented compass back in the mountains of New Hampshire had I been so frightened, but this time I refused to allow my fear the fatal inch it required. If I was to die, it would be; if I was not to die, I would not.
I smiled to myself in spite of my fear, amused at the remark I had addressed to myself. It sounded like something out of the code of the Warrior, something which, if taken literally, would seem to encourage its believer to take not the slightest or most sane precautions for his safety. I blew a note on the whistle, and it was shrill and different, of a new pitch from that of the Old Tarl.
Almost immediately from somewhere, perhaps from a ledge out of sight; rose a fantastic object, another giant tarn, even larger than the first, a glossy sable tarn which circled the cylinder once and then wheeled toward me, landing a few feet away, his talons striking on the roof with a sound like hurled gauntlets. His talons were shod with steel--a war tarn. He raised his curved beek to the sky and screamed, lifting and shaking his wings enormous head turned toward me, and his round, wicked eyes blazed in my direction. The next thing I knew his beak was open; I caught a brief sight of his thin,sharp tongue, as long as a man's arm; darting out and back, and then, snapping at me, he lunged forward, striking at me with that monstrous beak, and I heard the Older Tarl cry out in horror, 'The goad! The goad!' –Tarnsman of Gor, Chapter 3
Tibit
A small bird found on the shores of Thassa, described as 'stick-legged', it feeds on small mollusks it pecks from the sand. The tibit woud probably be somewhat similar to a sandpiper or a plover, commonly found on the beaches that line the shores of Earth oceans.
There were no signs of sails on the breadth of gleaming Thassa. The great circle of the horizon was empty. There were swift, white clouds in the sky. I heard the cry of sea birds, broad-winged gulls and the small, stick-legged tibits, pecking in the sand for tiny mollusks. There was a salt smell in the air, swift and bright in the wind. Thassa was beautiful.-Hunters of Gor, Chapter 18
Tindel
Brightly plumaged bird of the rain forests of the Schendi area.
..Behind and about him had swirled a gigantic cloak of yellow and red feathers, from the crested lit and the fruit tindel, brightly plumaged birds of the rain forest-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 18
Tumit
Large flightless bird of the prairy lands. It is said the Wagon People's much used bola was invented initially as a weapon for hunting this bird. This particularity would make the tumit sound much like the Rhea, a large flightless bird of the South American plains of Earth, which was hunted in the same fashion, by natives of these lands.
...beyond them I saw one of the tumits, a large, flightless bird whose hooked beak, as long as my forearm, attested only too clearly to its gustatory habits; I lifted my shield and grasped the long spear, but it did not turn in my direction; it passed, unaware-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 1
Umbrella bird
Bird of the rain forests of the Schendi area.
...In the lower portion of the canopies, too, can be found heavier birds, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the umbrella bird-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Veminium bird
Songbird mentioned in Magicians of Gor; it is likely thatthe name would indicate this bird to be found in veminium fields. The only comment made on it is in reference to its charming song.
Perhaps in one of these times, due to no fault of Mistress he was charmed by her voice, as by the songs of the veminium bird, or again, by her grace and manner-Magicians of Gor, Chapter 21
Vulo
A domesticated pigeon-like bird, raised for its eggs and meat.
She was a peasant, barefoot, her garment little more than coarse sacking. She had been carrying a wicker basket containing vulos, domesticated pigeons raised for eggs and meat. -Nomads of Gor, Chapter 1
Wader
Both the ring-necked and the yellow legged variety of this waterbird inhabit the rainforest areas of Schendi. The term wader, to Earth bird lovers, refers to many species of limicoline or grallatorial long-legged birds more commonly called 'wading birds', that wade in the water in search of food.
...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Warbler
Songbirds mentioned in Explorers of Goras part of the Schendi jungle fauna.
The term 'warbler' is synonymous to 'singer', and applied to a species of numerous small Old World oscine birds (family Sylviidae) of Earth, most of which are noted songsters.
...Monkeys and tree urts, and snakes and insects, however, can also be found in this highest level. In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Woodpecker
At least one variety of woodpeckers is noted, the ivory billed variety which is spoken of in Explorers of Goras one of the Schendi Jungle inhabitants.
...In the lower portion of the canopies, too, can be found heavier birds, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the umbrella bird-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Zad
A scavenging bird found in at least two varieties, the Tahari species being described as large, black and white, the jungle variety, said to be less aggressive. Both do however share the rather gruesome custom of tearing out the eyes of weakened victims.
I heard, a short time later, wings, the alighting of one or more large birds. Such birds, broad-winged, black and white, from afar, follow the marches to Klima; their beaks, yellowish, narrow, are long and slightly hooked at the end, useful for probing and tearing.The birds scattered, squawking, as a Kaiila sped past. The birds are called zads. - Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 14
Zadit
A bird of the Tahari that feeds on desert insects.
...The zadit is a small, tawny-feathered, sharp-billed bird. It feeds on insects. When sand flies and other insects, emergent after rains, infest kaiila, they frequently light on the animals, and remain for some hours, hunting insects. This relieves the kaiila of the insects but leaves it with numerous small wounds, which are unpleasant and irritating, where the bird had dug insects out of its hide-Tribesmen of Gor, Chapter 10
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Mammals
Anteater
Though the name is one we recognize and are able to put a face to, the anteaters of Gor, by the description given below of the spined variety, would appear to be much larger versions of their Earth cousins. We are told they exist in more than six varieties in the jungle areas of Schendi alone, but are given no indication of where else on Gor these beasts might be found.
...More than six varieties of anteater are also found here, and more than twenty kinds of small, fleet, single-horned tabuk-Explorers of Gor
Bosk
A huge, shaggy, ox-like animal that provides meat, milk and leather. The Bosk is said to be the mother of the Wagon Peoples. There are 15 varieties of Bosk known to the Wagon Peoples, the names of which are used in the naming the 15 moons that are part of the Wagon Peoples' chronology.
The bosk, without which the Wagon Peoples could not live, is an oxlike creature. It is a huge shambling animal with a thick, humped neck, and long, shaggy hair. It has a wide head and tiny red eyes, a temper to match that of a sleen, and two long, wicked horns that reach out from its head and suddenly curve forward to terminate in fearful points. Some of these horns, on the larger animals, when measured from tip to tip, exceed the length of two spears.-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 1
Deer
A northern variety is mentioned in Marauders of Gor, although no description is given.
"Perhaps," suggested Gorm, "it is diseased or injured, and can no longer hunt the swift deer of the north?"-Marauders of Gor, Chpater 7
Frevet
A small mammalian insectivore which is used in the cities as a form of pest control.
"That is not an urt," said the proprietor. "They usually come out after dark. There is too much noise and movement for them during the day." The small animal skittered backward, with a sound of claws on the boards. Its eyes gleamed in the reflected light of the lamp. "Generally, too, they do not come this high," said the proprietor. "That is a frevet." The frevet is a small, quick, mammalian insectivore. "We have several in the house," he said. "They control insects, the beetles and lice, and such."-Mercenaries of Gor, Chpater 22
Gatch
A marsupial of the rainforest areas of Schendi.
...On the floor itself are also found several varieties of animal life, in particular marsupials, such as the armored gatch, and rodents, such as slees and ground urts. Several varieties of tarsk, large and small, also inhabit this zone-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Giani
A cat sized panther of the rainforest areas of Schendi.
...In the lower branches of the "ground zone" may be found, also, small animals, such as tarsiers, nocturnal jit monkeys, black squirrels, four-toed leaf urts, jungle varts and the prowling, solitary giani, tiny, cat-sized panthers, not dangerous to man-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Hurt
A bounding two legged mammal, domesticated and raised on ranches for its wool.
Cernus of Ar wore a coarse black robe, woven probably from the wool of the bounding, two legged Hurt, a domesticated marsupial raised in large numbers in the environs of several of Gor's Northern Cities. The Hurt, raised on large, fenced ranches, herded by domesticated sleen and sheered by chained slaves, replaces its wool four times a year-Assassin of Gor, Chapter 4
Kaiila
Kaiila are found all over Gor. Their differences depend on the environment which they inhabit.
The head of the kaiila bears two large eyes, one on each side, but these eyes are triply lidded, probably an adaptation to the environment which occasionally is wracked by severe storms of wind and dust; the adaptation, actually a transparent third lid, permits the animal to move as it wishes under conditions that force other prairie animals to back into the wind, or like the sleen, to burrow into the ground-Nomads of Gor, Chapter 2
I then saw a kaiila pass. It was lofty, stately, fanged and silken. I had heard of such beasts, but this was the first one I had seen. It was yellow, with flowing hair. Its rider was mounted in a high, purple saddle, with knives in saddle sheaths-Fighting Slave of Gor, Chapter 13
Kailiauk
A large tri-horned herd animal described as a relative of the bosk. The kailiauk is to the Red Savages much what the bosk is to the Nomads of the Plains. A short-trunked variety is mentioned as living on the Southern Plains.
The kailiauk in question, incidentally, is the kailiauk of the Barrens. It is a gigantic, dangerous beast, often standing from twenty to twenty five hands at the shoulder and weighing as much as four thousand pounds. It is almost never hunted on foot except in deep snow, in which it is almost helpless-Savages of Gor, Chapter 1
Larl
A wild feline of Gor, the larl is a clawed and fanged carnivorous predator. It is said to be usually a tawney red or black. There is also mention of a huge white larl, encountered by Tarl Cabot in the Sardar mountains.
I was struck with wonder, though I was careful to keep beyond the range of their chains, for I had never seen white larls before.They were gigantic beasts, superb specimens, perhaps eight feet at the shoulder.Their upper canine fangs, like daggers mounted in their jaws, must have been at least a foot in length and extended well below their jaws in the manner of ancient saber-toothed tigers. The four nostril slits of each animal were flared and their great chests lifted and fell with the intensity of their excitement. Their tails, long and tufted at the end, lashed back and forth.-Priest Kings of Gor, Chapter 2
Lart, Snow
A smallish Arctic mammal, eight to ten pounds, possessing two stomachs and which lives on bird eggs and leem. Its fur is snow white in the winter.
The hunter pulled a pelt from the bundle of furs he carried. It was snowy white, and thick, the winter fur of a two-stomached snow lart. It almost seemed to glisten. Such a pelt could sell in Ar for half a silver tarsk. He took the pelt and examined it. The snow lart hunts in the sun. It is about ten inches high and weighs between eight and twelve pounds. It is mammalian, and has four legs-Beasts of Gor, Chapter 3
Leem
A small (5 to 10 ounces) artic rodent hunted by the Red Hunters for its pelt. It is said to hibernate in the winter and its summer coat is described as brown.
The leem, a small arctic rodent, some five to ten ounces in weight, which hibernates during the winter. The hunter drew forth from the bundle of furs two tiny pelts of the leem. These were brown, the summer coats of the animals.-Beasts of Gor, Chapter 3
Monkeys
Various varieties found and described as living in the jungles, inland of Schendi.
Guernon monkeys, too, usually inhabit this level. In the lower branches of the "ground zone" may be found, also, small animals, such as tarsiers, nocturnal jit monkeys, black squirrels, four-toed leaf urts, jungle varts and the prowling, solitary giani, tiny, cat-sized panthers, not dangerous to man.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Panther
A wild feline of Gor; there are mentions of various varieties and colors in different areas such as the forests of the North as well as in the jungles of Ushindi.
The forest panther is a proud beast, but, too, he does not care to be distracted in his hunting-Captive of Gor, Chapter 8
Porcupine
A long tailed variety is mentioned in Explorers of Goras part of the jungle fauna.
...Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Quala
...I saw what I first thought was a shadow, but as the tarn passed, it scattered into a scampering flock of tiny creatures, probably the small, three-toed mammals called qualae, dun-colored and with a stiff, brushy mane of black hair-Tarnsman of Gor, Chapter 12
Slee
In the lower branches of the "ground zone" may be found, also, small animals, such as tarsiers, nocturnal jit monkeys, black squirrels, four-toed leaf urts, jungle varts and the prowling, solitary giani, tiny, cat-sized panthers, not dangerous to man... On the floor itself are also found several varieties of animal life, in particular marsupials, such as the armored gatch, and rodents, such as slees and ground urts.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Sleen
A large vicious 6 legged lizard-like furred mammal of many varieties both on land and in water, that is often domesticated to herd cattle, hunt, and track slaves.They are Gor's best trackers, being relentless and tenacious. They have been known to pick up a trail several weeks old. Sleen are trained for hunting, for tracking, for herding, for war, and so on. They can be as small as a cat, but are usually a large animal. They have six legs, which carry the elongated, snakelike body. When approaching prey they have a low, snakelike, serpentine movement. In the wild, like the cat, they stalk, approach with stealth, and then, with great suddenness, charge. They have a strong bestial odor, and will, accordingly normally approach prey from downwind. They can form close attachments with their masters, rather like dogs. On the other hand, if the master dies, the animal is often killed, as it may become extremely dangerous, being likely to revert, so to speak, to the wild. There are several extra vertebrae in the spine of the sleen, which give it a serpentine agility and suppleness. Some sleen have a single row of fangs and others a double row of fangs. All, of course, are carnivorous.
The vicious, six-legged sleen, large-eyed, sinuous, mammalian but resembling a furred, serpentine lizard, was a reliable, indefatigable hunter. He could follow a scent days old with ease, and then, perhaps hundreds of pasangs, and days, later, be unleashed for the sport of the hunters, to tear his victim to pieces. -Raiders of Gor, Chapter 9
Squirrels
...Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Tabuk
Single horned antelope of yellowish or tawny fur, depending on the region it inhabits.
The most common type of tabuk is the small graceful yellow variety which can often be found among the ka-la-na thickets.
The tabuk is the most common Gorean antelope, a small graceful animal, one-horned and yellow, that haunts the Ka-la-na thickets of the planet and occasionally ventures daintily into its meadows in search of berries and salt. It is also one of the favorite kills of a tarn.
-Outlaw of Gor, Chapter 14
Tarsier
...In the lower branches of the "ground zone" may be found, also, small animals, such as tarsiers, nocturnal jit monkeys, black squirrels, four-toed leaf urts, jungle varts and the prowling, solitary giani, tiny, cat-sized panthers, not dangerous to man-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
Tarsk
Six-tusked shaggy maned boar that inhabits the temperate forests of Gor. Described as flat-snouted, short-legged and extremely vicious, this porcine quadruped has a bristly mane which runs down its spine to the base of the tail. Commonly roasted whole. The town of Market of Semris is famed for its tarsk markets.
I looked up. The slave boy, Fish, had emerged from the kitchen, holding over his head on a large silver platter a whole roasted tarsk, steaming and crisped, basted, shining under the torchlight, a larma in its mouth, garnished with suls and Tur-pah. - Raiders of Gor, Chapter 15
Urt
Rodent of all areas of Gor that is adapted to the various climates, its color and size varies. There are many varieties of urts, some as small as mice, others as large as tapirs, or larger. Urts are rodents, or rodentlike.
...Over her shoulder she had two small, furred animals, hideous forest urts, about the size of cats, and in her left hand she carried four small, green-and-yellow-plumaged birds.-Captive of Gor, Chapter 13
Vart
Flying blind carnivorous rodent that resembles a large version of the earth bat.
Perhaps most I dreaded those nights filled with the shrieks of the vart pack, a blind, batlike swarm of flying rodents, each the size of a small dog. They could strip a carcass in a matter of minutes-Outlaw of Gor, Chapter 3
Verr
Domesticatable mountain goat, herded for its milk and meat. The verr likely exists in a number of varieties though only two are actually mentioned.
The verr was a mountain goat indigenous to the Voltai. It was a wild, agile, ill-tempered beast, long-haired and spiral-horned. Among the Voltai crags it would be worth one's life to come within twenty yards of one. -Priest-Kings of Gor, Chapter 8
Zeder
A small, sleen like animal, about two feet in length that frequents the rivers of the tropical jungles of Schendi.
There is, however, a sleenlike animal, though much smaller, about two feet in length and some eight to ten pounds in weight, the zeder, which frequents the Ua and her tributaries. It knifes through the water by day and, at night, returns to its nest, built from sticks and mud in the branches of a tree overlooking the water.-Explorers of Gor, Chapter 32
