rhinoster, noun

/rəˈnɒstə/
Forms:
renoster, rhenosterShow more Also renoster, rhenoster, rhinaster, rhenosta.
Origin:
South African Dutch, AfrikaansShow more Englished form of South African Dutch rhenoster (later Afrikaans renoster) rhinoceros.
1. obsolete
a. Either of two species of rhinoceros of the Rhinocerotidae, the white or square-lipped rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum, or the black or hook-lipped rhinoceros Diceros bicornis (now an endangered species).
1839 W.C. Harris Wild Sports 371Rhinoceros Africanus. The African Rhinoceros. Rhinaster of the Cape Colonists...Rhinoceros Sinusus. The White Rhinoceros. Witte Rhinaster of the Cape Colonists.
1844 J. Backhouse Narr. of Visit 172The common two-horned Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros bicornis, called Rhinoster by the Cape colonists, was formerly common throughout the country.
b. comb.
rhinoster bird, oxpecker.
1851 J.F. Churchill Diary. (Killie Campbell Africana Library MS37) 29 JuneMet with no wild animals during the day. Saw a few Rhinoster Birds with large Bills.
2. In full rhinoster bush: rhinoceros-bush.
1851 R. Gray Jrnls of Two Visitations II.Unbroken, monotonous rhinoster bush.
1867 Blue Bk for Col. 1866 JJ15The rhenoster bush, since the introduction of sheep, has fearfully encroached on the pasturage, leaving no alternative but to burn it.
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 81The rhenoster bush has spread more widely and more quickly than exotic plants generally do, on account of it having been carried through the Colony by the brandy distilling Boers of old time, who used it as dunnage in packing the casks on their waggons.
1902 H.J. Duckitt in M. Kuttel Quadrilles & Konfyt (1954) 17There was the large oven (built into the kitchen), which took a cartload of wood to heat; by wood I mean ‘rhenoster bush’, which grows on the hills, and strange to say, wherever land has been under cultivation, in a few years it is covered with this bush, which makes excellent firewood.
1905 H. Bolus in Flint & Gilchrist Science in S. Afr. 219The constituents of the ‘zuur-veld’ (or sour-veld), as it is called by the colonists, are of a coarser character..which are of little use to live-stock; just as they, and also the rhenoster-bush (Elytropappus rhinocerotis) and the Restioncaeae, are the great drawbacks of the grazing grounds in the South-west Region.
1913 D. Fairbridge Piet of Italy 131Francesco followed him across the werf and up the grey rhinoster-clad hillside.
1913 D. Fairbridge Piet of Italy 137He found himself passing through a gate which led to nowhere — or only to an expanse of stony veld covered with grey tufts of rhinoster.
1915 D. Fairbridge Torch Bearer 49The fragrant scent of burning rhinoster-bush rose from a cottage chimney near by and floated in at the open window.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 69Renosterbos (Rhenoster Bush), Elytropappus rhinocerotis...Mostly looked upon as a useless bush, which much impedes the farming operations, but on the Ruggens (Caledon distr.) it is in many cases the only fuel available for ovens and other domestic use.
1920 E.H.L. Schwarz Kalahari; or, Thirstland Redemption 19We have in South Africa the example of the Rhenoster Bush, that is said to have sprung from a few plants brought to Simon’s Town.
1928 N. Stevenson Afr. Harvest 175There was an overpowering smell of rhenosta bush.
1947 F.C. Slater Sel. Poems 229Rhenoster, A grey low bush (Elytropappus rhinocerotis), growing gregariously in South-West Cape Colony, but extending to Grahamstown on temporarily unused arable land and on overstocked pasturage — a great pest.
1969 I. Vaughan These Were my Yesterdays 48Dawn of the next day had brought us out of the renoster bush of Swellendam and Robertson.
Either of two species of rhinoceros of the Rhinocerotidae, the white or square-lipped rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum, or the black or hook-lipped rhinoceros Diceros bicornis (now an endangered species).
In full rhinoster bush: rhinoceros-bush.
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rhinoster bird

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rhinoceros-bush, nounn.Rhodes grass, noun phrasen. phr.
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