kershout, noun

/ˈkɛrshəʊt/
Forms:
kaarshout, kersehoutShow more Also kaarshout, kersehout, kersiehout.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans formed on kersie (from Dutch kers) cherry or kers (from Dutch kaars) candle + hout wood.
Either of two species of forest tree or shrub.
Note:
Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus is called both candlewood and (occasionally) cherrywood in South African English, illustrating the confusion surrounding the origin of the name.
1. Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus of the Celastraceae, with hard, dark red wood; candlewood sense 2.
1887 J.C. Brown Management of Crown Forests 237Timber Valued Standing. Per cubic foot...Kershout,..0 0 3.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 48Kerse’hout,..Pterocelastrus variabilis.
1937 F.S. Laughton Sylviculture of Indigenous Forests 56Celastraceae. Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus,..(Kershout) is an extremely variable species, found as a shrub on the coastal dunes and in other dry localities.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 287Kers(ie)hout, Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus...The vernacular name..is derived from the resemblance of the wood of the species of Pterocelastrus to that of the European cherry..and was seemingly first applied (c. 1750) to Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus.
1972 M.R. Levyns in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. VI. 369Kershout, (Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus)...The wood is dark red, hard and heavy, and is used for spokes and for pick- and axe- handles.
1977 E. Palmer Field Guide to Trees of Sn Afr. 194Kershout, Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus. Capsules: bright orange-yellow with 3 wing-like horns which sometimes divide futher.
1977 Het Suid-Western 19 Oct.Although on average prices realised were good, there was little interest in..kershout..which went for bargain prices.
1989 Afr. Wildlife Vol.43 No.2, 79Xhosa warriors are said to have fixed the iron blades to the assegai handle with sticky resin obtained by heating the roots of the cherrywood or kershout.
1990 Weekend Post 19 May (Leisure) 7Back along the terrace..was a well-grown kershout (Pterolastrus tricuspidatus) not yet bearing its attractive orange seed capsules.
1992 H. Hutchings in Weekend Post 1 Mar. (Leisure) 7Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus (kershout), a many-branched evergreen bush tree with leathery leaves and orange seed pods in autumn and winter.
2. Less commonly, Rothmannia capensis of the Rubiaceae, which has creamy white flowers and large, woody, inedible fruit; aapsekos; bobbejaanappel, see bobbejaan sense 2; candlewood sense 1; wild gardenia, see wild sense a.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 238Kaarshout,..According to Sim (‘Forest Flora’) this is another name for Gardenia Rothmannia...But the name is universally applied to Pterocelastris variabilis,..which is very resinous.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 258Kersehout,..Pterocelastrus variabilis.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 48Kershout,..candle wood (Gardenia).
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 287Kershout, Rothmannia capensis...The vernacular name is derived from some real or fancied resemblance of the wood to that of the European cherry. The wood burns with a smoky flame, suggestive of that of a candle.
1972 M.R. Levyns in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. VI. 369The name kershout is also applied to Rothmannia capensis, which is better known as aapsekos...Other common names of R. capensis are candlewood and wild gardenia.
Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus of the Celastraceae, with hard, dark red wood; candlewood sense 2.
Less commonly, Rothmannia capensis of the Rubiaceae, which has creamy white flowers and large, woody, inedible fruit; aapsekos; bobbejaanappel, see bobbejaan sense 2; candlewood sense 1; wild gardenia, see wild sense a.
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kersbos, nounn.2kettle, nounn.
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