saltbush, noun

Origin:
Australian EnglishShow more From Australian English (1846), extended to include both indigenous plants and imported Australian species; named for its salty nature and habitat.
a. Any of several species of the fodder plant Atriplex of the Chenopodiaceae which flourish in saline soil; soutbos sense a; vaalbos sense 2; vaalbrak, see vaal sense 2; also called brakbos. Also attributive.
Note:
Also Australian and U.S. English.
1906 F. Blersch Handbk of Agric. 254Other species of plants of considerable feeding value are Atriplex capensis, the Vaal boschje or South African Salt bush [etc.].
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 72Salt-bush. Atriplex Halimus. A valuable fodder-shrub of brackish Karoo lands. Several Australian species introduced, suitable in similar localities, e.g., A. halimoides and A. semibaccata (low spreading), also A. nummularia (tall).
1931 H.D. Leppan Agric. Policy 42Where the [salt] concentration is slight, some of the more tolerant crops. e.g., sorghums, cotton and salt bushes may be grown.
1973 Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. IX. 480Several species of Atriplex..are known as saltbush.
1985 Farmer’s Weekly 26 July 46Almost all these farmers bought saltbush seed before leaving.
1991 F. Martin in Farmer’s Weekly 25 Jan. 8Establishing saltbush is a tiresome task as each plant must be planted by hand...Sheep need to be ‘taught’ to eat saltbush.
1993 Milton & Dean in Afr. Wildlife Vol.47 No.1, 28Perhaps their..taste for such alien plants as..saltbush (Atriplex spp.) ensures the future of leopard tortoises on Karoo rangeland.
b. With distinguishing epithet: old man saltbush, also old man’s saltbush, [Australian English old man (attributive) ‘of exceptional size, duration, or intensity’], the plant Atriplex nummularia; oumansoutbos, see soutbos sense b. Also attributive.
1929 Farming in S. Afr. Sept. 294 (Swart)There is an ever-increasing demand for the seed of ‘Old man Salt bush’.
c1936 S. & E. Afr. Yr Bk & Guide 280The saltbush ‘Old Man’ (atriplex nummularia) and the creeping saltbush, are of Australian origin.
1974 S. Afr. Panorama Dec. 4To provide feed for his enormous flocks, the owner has successfully planted oumansoutbos (old man’s salt bush) (Atriplex nummularia).
1985 Farmer’s Weekly 26 July 46The sales of old-man saltbush seed escalated during the first five months of this year.
1991 F. Martin in Farmer’s Weekly 25 Jan. 8He was introduced to old-man salt-bush (Atriplex nummularia) by pasture expert John Fair. It’s the one crop that has remained immune to climatic factors.
Any of several species of the fodder plant Atriplex of the Chenopodiaceae which flourish in saline soil; soutbos sense a; vaalbos sense 2; vaalbrak, see vaal sense 2; also called brakbos. Also attributive.
old man saltbush, also old man’s saltbush, [Australian English old man (attributive) ‘of exceptional size, duration, or intensity’], the plant Atriplex nummularia; oumansoutbos, see soutbos sense b. Also attributive.
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19061993

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salt, verbv.salted, participial adjectivepart. adj.
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