dronkgras, noun

/ˈdrɔŋkxras/
Forms:
Also drink-gras.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, dronk drunk + gras grass.
Any of several plants which are poisonous to livestock: a. Any of several species of grass of the Poaceae, especially Melica decumbens (sub-family Pooideae), but also the rye grass Lolium temulentum (sub-family Pooideae), and Paspalum scrobiculatum (sub-family Panicoidae). b. The horse-tail fern Equisetum ramosissimum of the Equisetaceae. c. The styfsiektebossie (see styfsiekte sense 2), Crotalaria burkeana. Also partial translation of dronk grass. See also dronksiekte.
1896 E. Clairmonte Africander 159Another curious sickness which attacks cattle is the dronk siekta. It is caused by eating a kind of grass called dronk gras.
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 95A somewhat similar condition of helplessness from intoxication, or semi-paralysis, results when cattle feed upon dronk grass, Melica dendroides.
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 100It would appear that the giddiness and intoxication, described by one farmer as a ‘wild delirium’, from which animals suffer after eating dronk-gras, is similar to the effects produced after the seeds of darnel rye-grass..have been consumed.
1906 F. Blersch Handbk of Agric. 257The following are some weeds of a poisonous character found on pastures: Dronk gras (Melica dendroides), [etc.].
1910 A.B. Lamont Rural Reader 257Dronk grass is one of the poisonous plants, and makes stock stupid when they eat it.
1932 Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk Medicinal & Poisonous Plants 117Malva parviflora..is said to produce symptoms similar to ‘Dronkgras’ intoxication (cf. Equisetum ramosissimum).
1991 G.E. Gibbs Russell et al. Grasses of Sn Afr. 209Melica decumbens..Dronkgras...Poisonous (to horses, cattle and donkeys).
1991 G.E. Gibbs Russell et al. Grasses of Sn Afr. 246Paspalum scrobiculatum..Creeping paspalum, dronkgras.
Any of several species of grass of the Poaceae, especially Melica decumbens (sub-family Pooideae), but also the rye grass Lolium temulentum (sub-family Pooideae), and Paspalum scrobiculatum (sub-family Panicoidae).
The horse-tail fern Equisetum ramosissimum of the Equisetaceae.
The styfsiektebossie (see styfsiekte sense 2), Crotalaria burkeana. Also partial translation of dronk grass.
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Afrikaans
dronk, adjectiveadj.dronkie, nounn.
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