kraaibos, noun

Forms:
Formerly also kraije bosch, kraje bosch.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch), from Dutch kraai crow + bosch bush.
Any of several species of small shrub, especially of the genera Diospyros of the Ebenaceae, and Heteromorpha of the Apiaceae. Occasionally also kraaibossie [see -ie].
1795 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. I. 149The black berries of a bush called kraije-bosch, or crow-bush, were greedily devoured by the crows at the Cape.
1809 J. Mackrill Diary. 60Kraje bosch, Royena glabra grows near the Cape town.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 310Kraaibos, Diospyros austro-africana var. austro-africana; D. glabra..: Small, rigid bushily branched shrubs...The dried and pulverized roots were used by the Hottentot as a purgative. Heteromorpha trifoliata...A tallish shrub...In Natal and the Eastern Cape the inner bark and roots are used in native medicines.
1976 E. Prov. Herald 21 Oct. 4Invader plants that caused the greatest problem in the mountainous parts of the Eastern Karoo Region were the broom-bush, taaibos or kraaibossie, leucosidea [etc.].
Any of several species of small shrub, especially of the genera Diospyros of the Ebenaceae, and Heteromorpha of the Apiaceae. Occasionally also kraaibossie [see -ie].
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17951976