rhinoceros-bush, noun

Origin:
South African DutchShow more Probably translation of South African Dutch rhenosterbos, rhenosterbosch, see rhenosterbos; see quotation 1731.
The evergreen shrub Elytropappus rhinocerotis of the Asteraceae, with grey-blue, fine-leaved foliage and clusters of small, purple flowers; rhenosterbos sense 1; rhinoster sense 2.
1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. 103[The Rhinoceros] is not fond of Feeding on Grass, chusing rather Shrubs, Broom and Thistles. But the Delight of his Tooth is a Shrub, not much unlike the Juniper, but not of so fine a Scent, nor quite so prickly. The Cape-Europeans call it the Rhinoceros-Bush.
1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. I. 251The rhinoceros-bush (a species of stoebe) a dry shrub, which is otherwise used to thrive on barren tracts of land, now begins to encroach more and more on such places as have been thoroughly cleared and cultivated.
1801 J. Barrow Trav. I. 69Two species of seriphium, called here the rhinoceros-bush, predominate.
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 55Some of us rekindled the fire, keeping up a constant blaze, by feeding it with rhinoceros-bushes, a resinous shrub, with large roots, but easily pulled up.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 126The rhinoceros-bush grows abundantly on different parts of these mountains, and was the only fuel which I saw used at this house.
1839 W.C. Harris Wild Sports 30Barely sufficient quantity of fuel, from a shrub called the rhinoceros bush, could be obtained for culinary purposes.
1976 E. Prov. Herald 21 Oct. 4Invader plants that cause the greatest problem in the mountainous parts of the Eastern Karroo Region were the broom bush, taaibos or kraaibossie, Leucosidea, rhinoceros bush, resin bush and buffalo thorn.
1991 H. Bradford in Cosmopolitan Aug. 127In addition to swallowing one cup of this cocktail three times a day, at night the pregnant woman was urged to find, strain, and drink a black-ant nest made in the rhinoceros-bush.
The evergreen shrub Elytropappus rhinocerotis of the Asteraceae, with grey-blue, fine-leaved foliage and clusters of small, purple flowers; rhenosterbos sense 1; rhinoster sense 2.
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Bushes and Shrubs
rhinoceros bird, noun phrasen. phr.rhinoster, nounn.
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