gifblaar, noun

/ˈxəfblɑː(r)/
Forms:
Formerly also gift-blaar.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, gif (earlier gift) poison + blaar leaf.
The dwarf herb Dichapetalum cymosum of the Dichapetalaceae, with leaves which are poisonous to livestock. Also attributive.
1910 Tvl Agric. Jrnl July 626 (Pettman)The following report on analysis and physiological tests of Chailletia or Gift-blaar (Dichapetalum cymosum, here also called Chailletia cymosa)..has been received from the Director of the Imperial Institute.
1930 Outspan 31 Oct. 69‘Chincherinchee’, which often finds its way into forage, ‘gifblaar,’ the various ‘tulps’ and ‘slangkops,’ are all responsible at different seasons and in different areas for considerable mortality among stock.
a1936 E.N. Marais Soul of Ape (1973) 75The fruit of the gifblaar is bright red in colour and very tempting in appearance — but the plant secretes a strictuous poison of extreme virulence and the fruit is especially rich in the deadly substance.
1937 C.R. Prance Tante Rebella’s Saga 145This picturesque paradise was rotten with ‘gif-blaar’, the dreadful poison-plant which renders valueless so much of that land which looks dirt-cheap at 1-s. an acre.
1957 Handbk for Farmers (Dept of Agric.) II. 425Gifblaar undoubtedly is one of the most poisonous plants the stock farmer has to contend with. Even a few leaves are fatal to sheep.
1970 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.1 No.2, 12Gifblaar,..highly toxic plant with subterranean root system going down to 12m; only a small cluster of leaves sprouts on the surface of the soil in early spring before other grazing is available, so that it attracts animals to which it is fatal.
1988 T.S. Kellerman et al. Plant Poisonings & Mycotoxicosis of Livestock 108Near Pretoria a gifblaar plant was reportedly excavated for 30 m to a depth of 12 m.
1989 J. du P. Bothma Game Ranch Management 189It appears that animals living in areas where certain toxic plants occur, learn not to eat them. Eland will not eat gifblaar, even if they are the only green plants remaining in a camp.
The dwarf herb Dichapetalum cymosum of the Dichapetalaceae, with leaves which are poisonous to livestock. Also attributive.
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Afrikaans
gifappel, nounn.gifbol, nounn.
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