koperdraad, noun

/ˈkʊəpə(r)drɑːt/
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, koper copper + draad wire.
Any of several species of grass which become hard and wiry when mature. See also sour grass (sour sense 2).
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 103Koper draad, or copper-wire grass. Andropogon excavatus becomes so hard and bristly as it matures that it has been favourably mentioned as a suitable material from which to manufacture paper.
1907 T.R. Sim Forests & Forest Flora 41The wiry class of grasses, known as ‘Koper-draad’.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 278Koper draad,..Aristida sp. This name describes this grass when ripe...When ripe it is hard and wiry and of little worth as food for stock.
1937 Handbk for Farmers (Dept of Agric.) 400Once the grain crops have been reaped, stock find a fair amount of grazing on the stubble, consisting of..a little grass.., weeds such as koperdraad (Polygonum aviculare) and small bushes.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 307Koperdraad, Several species of grasses, generally of the ‘sour’ type, are known by this vernacular name on account of their wiry culms or leaves. Stock not partial to any of the grasses..which are useless from the stockman’s point of view.
1986 Farmer’s Weekly 13 June 13During my farming apprenticeship with him I knew only two types of grass — koperdraad and steekgras.
Any of several species of grass which become hard and wiry when mature.
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18961986

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Afrikaans
kop-en-pootjies, nounn.kopje-wallop, verb intransitivev.
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