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Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Scitamimeæ), mostly tropical herbs, including the ginger, Indian shot, banana, and the plants producing turmeric and arrowroot.

lant of the endogenous genus Pandanus, of which there are about fifty species, natives of tropical lands from Africa to Polynesia; -- named from the spiral arrangement of the pineapple-like leaves. -- Screw plate, a device for cutting threads on small screws, consisting of a thin steel plate having a series of perfora…

An order of fresh-water fishes inhabiting tropical Africa. They have rudimentary electrical organs on each side of the tail.

A shrubby plant (Coccoloba uvifera) growing on the sandy shores of tropical America, somewhat resembling the grapevine.

pentarius), native of South Africa, but now naturalized in the West Indies and some other tropical countries. It has a powerful hooked beak, a crest of long feathers, and a long tail. It feeds upon reptiles of various kinds, and is much prized on account of its habit of killing and devouring snakes of all kinds. Called…

ifolia) growing in the West Indies; also, its edible fruit. -- Seven-year vine (Bot.), a tropical climbing plant (Ipomoea tuberosa) related to the morning-glory.

A genus of malvaceous plants common in the tropics. All the species are mucilaginous, and some have tough ligneous fibers which are used as a substitute for hemp and flax. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

A genus of tropical sapotaceous trees noted for their very hard wood; ironwood.

loping the seeds of the silk-cotton tree. -- Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for several tropical trees of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to the order Bombaceæ. The trees grow to an immense size, and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is used for stuffing cushions, but can not b…

uter lip. Many fossil species are known, and a few living ones are found in deep water in tropical seas.

A tropical American shrub (Plumieria rubra) which has very fragrant red blossoms.

enus Lutjanus, abundant on the southern coasts of the United States and on both coasts of tropical America.

rine food fish (Centropomus undecimalis) found both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of tropical America; -- called also ravallia, and robalo.

carpus racemosus of the Northern United States, and the Chiococca racemosa of Florida and tropical America. Creeping snowberry. (Bot.) See under Creeping.

Upper Sonoran, which lies next to the Transition zone, and the Lower Sonoran, next to the Tropical.

- called also nellie. -- Sooty tern (Zoöl.), a tern (Sterna fuliginosa) found chiefly in tropical seas.

The large edible nutlike seed of a tall tropical American tree (Caryocar nuciferum) of the same natural order with the tea plant; -- also called butternut. [Written also sawarra nut.]

. Donne. What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty Shak. Spangled coquette (Zoöl.), a tropical humming bird (Lophornis reginæ). See Coquette, 2.

sperm whale (Zoöl.), a small whale (Kogia breviceps), seldom twenty feet long, native of tropical seas, but occasionally found on the American coast. Called also snub-nosed cachalot. -- Sperm-whale porpoise (Zoöl.), a toothed cetacean (Hyperoödon bidens), found on both sides of the Atlantic and valued for its oil. Th…

ely divided lead; -- used in secondary batteries and otherwise. -- Sponge tree (Bot.), a tropical leguminous tree (Acacia Farnesiana), with deliciously fragrant flowers, which are used in perfumery. -- Toilet sponge, a very fine and superior variety of Mediterranean sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety Mediterranea);…