steekbos, noun

/ˈstɪəkbɔs/
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, steek puncture, prick, stab + bos bush.
Any of several plants characterized by sharply-pointed leaves or flowers which are capable of puncturing the skin, especially Cliffortia ruscifolia of the Rosaceae.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 77Steekbos, Cliffortia ruscifolia. One of the most common shrubs of the south-western districts. Leaves rigid and sharp-pointed. Also other shrubs with such leaves, and Argemone mexicana.
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 166Steekbos, The common name of a shrub, metalasia muricata, which spreads rapidly and in a year or two renders large tracts of country useless for sheep farming as it develops a very dense growth, which soon suppresses other useful grasses and bushes. Its flower is prickly, hence the name.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 435So far it would appear that the term Steekbos is expressly applied only to such plants which, owing to their abundance and social habit, are capable of being a source of irritation to persons coming into contact with them.
1973 M.A. Cook Cape Kitchen 107As the branches burnt away, more and more were pushed in, as well as billets of wood, stumps of bushes and so on: renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocertis) and steekbos (Cliffortia ruscifolia) were favourites for this purpose.
Any of several plants characterized by sharply-pointed leaves or flowers which are capable of puncturing the skin, especially Cliffortia ruscifolia of the Rosaceae.
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Afrikaans
steeg, nounn.steekgras, nounn.
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