tulp, noun

/təlp//tœlp/
Plurals:
unchanged, or tulps.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, transferred use of Dutch tulp tulip.
1. Any of several species of bulbous plant of the genera Moraea and Homeria of the Iridaceae, highly toxic to livestock and with tulip-like flowers; tulip. Frequently with distinguishing epithet (see quotation 1966), as bloutulp/ˈbləʊ-/ [Afrikaans] or bluetulp, Cape blue tulp, Cape tulp, geel tulp/ˈxɪəl-/ [Afrikaans] or yellowtulp, Transvaal (blue) tulp (see Transvaal). Also attributive, and occasionally tulpie [see -ie]. See also black-gallsickness (gallsickness sense 2).
1835 T.H. Bowker Journal. 10 MayLots of Bullocks sick with eating Tulp.
1837 J.E. Alexander Narr. of Voy. II. 157There is a blaauw tulp, or pale blue Moræa, which..the cattle devour, with fatal effect.
1839 T. Shone Diary. 29 Apr.The oxen have been eating of tulp, they are very loose.
a1858 J. Goldswain Chron. (1947) I. 110The tulp: this poisoned plant springs up so thick amung the grass and when a few inches Eigh thoues that do not know it wold think that it was leeks but it will sum times grow from two to two half feet Eigh and bears a light blue flower: Cattle that is acustumed to it when grazen and bites a blade of it off with the grass will let it fall out of thear mouths: it as a verey strong smel and it is a verey unplesent tast.
1877 Alice Times 25 MayHe admits that a large number of oxen have died, but he attributes it to the fact that careless kurveyors have allowed their oxen to partake of tulp and poisonous weeds growing in vleys along the roadside.
1905 D. Hutcheon in Flint & Gilchrist Science in S. Afr. 354The different species of ‘Cape Tulp,’ Moraea polystachya, M. polyanthos, M. collina and M. tenius.
1907 W.C. Scully By Veldt & Kopje 232Within three days all my team except four were dead. The ridge was covered with the dreaded ‘tulp,’ which is deadly poison to all cattle.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 83Tulp (tulip). Several poisonous Irids: Homeria collina, the Geel (yellow) –; H. aurantiaca and H. miniata, the Rooi (red) –, both frequent in the south western Cape Prov.; H. pallida, the Transvaal –. Moraea polystachya, the Blauw – of the Karoo, etc.
1929 Handbk for Farmers (Dept of Agric.) 199 (caption)Cape Blue Tulp.
1929 Handbk for Farmers (Dept of Agric.) (caption)Transvaal Yellow Tulp.
1930 O.R. Thompson Voice in Veldt 60The Iris was misnamed ‘Tulp’ by the early Dutch after their national flower ‘the Tulip’.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 470The specific differentiation is effected locally by the use of colour prefixes such as bloutulp, geeltulp, rooitulp. More recently, through plant and veterinary toxicological literature, provincial names coupled with or without the colour prefix, have also crept into use, such as Kaapse bloutulp, Transvaalbloutulp, Transvaalgeeltulp.
1972 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.3 No.1, 45Tulp,..Name applied to a variety of irids..eg bloutulp, geeltulp, kaapsebloutulp, rooitulp, Traansvaal-bloutulp, etc.
1973 E. Prov. Herald 18 Apr. 34Evening Primrose and early blue Tulp.
1973 Grocott’s Mail 19 June 3An abundance of the highly poisonous tulp plant (Moraea edulis) in the Grahamstown district could mean stock losses for unsuspecting farmers.
1977 F.G. Butler Karoo Morning 241There were seasons when the veld was..glorified and transformed by flowers; when..the ‘tulp’ came out in such abundance as to turn the grey flats into purple lakes.
1979 E. Prov. Herald 18 May 1The tulp, a bulbous plant with a blue flower, usually grew at times when there was not much other greenery around.
1983 M. Du Plessis State of Fear 176The fine, translucent bells of the tulpies.
1988 M. Branch Explore Cape Flora 38Watsonias, pink march lilies, orchids and tulps flower later.
2. combinations
tulp-infested participial adjective;
tulp-poisoning verbal noun.
1975 Farmer’s Weekly 10 Dec. 37Sheep avoid tulp-infested pastures.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 471While tulp-poisoning is seldom now heard of in humans, the plants are annually responsible for heavy losses among stock.
Any of several species of bulbous plant of the genera Moraea and Homeria of the Iridaceae, highly toxic to livestock and with tulip-like flowers; tulip. Frequently with distinguishing epithet (see quotation 1966), as bloutulp/ˈbləʊ-/ [Afrikaans] or bluetulp, Cape blue tulp, Cape tulp, geel tulp/ˈxɪəl-/ [Afrikaans] or yellowtulp, Transvaal (blue) tulp (see Transvaal). Also attributive, and occasionally tulpie [see -ie].
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18351988

Browse Related Words

By Category

Plants
Animal Husbandry

By Origin

Dutch
tulip, nounn.tulp-boom, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English