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Belonging to, or like, the family of plants of which the prickly pear is a common example.

Any plant of the order Cactacæ, as the prickly pear and the night-blooming cereus. See Cereus. They usually have leafless stems and branches, often beset with clustered thorns, and are mostly natives of the warmer parts of America. Cactus wren (Zoöl.), an American wren of the genus Campylorhynchus, of several species.…

A district on the west coast of Africa. Calabar bean, The of a climbing legumious plant (Physostigma venenosum), a native of tropical Africa. It is highly poisonous. It is used to produce contraction of the pupil of the eye; also in tetanus, neuralgia, and rheumatic diseases; -- called also ordeal bean, being used by t…

The common gourd (plant or fruit).

A genus of aroideous plants, of which some species are cultivated for their immense leaves (which are often curiously blotched with white and red), and others (in Polynesia) for food.

A genus of perennial plants (Calamintha) of the Mint family, esp. the C. Nepela and C. Acinos, which are called also basil thyme.

A fossil plant of the coal formation, having the general form of plants of the modern Equiseta (the Horsetail or Scouring Rush family) but sometimes attaining the height of trees, and having the stem more or less woody within. See Acrogen, and Asterophyllite.

The indian cane, a plant of the Palm family. It furnishes the common rattan. See Rattan, and Dragon's blood.

A genus of showy herbaceous or shrubby plant, biought from South America; slipperwort. It has a yellow or purple flower, often spotted or striped, the shape of which suggests its name.

A genus of composite herbaceous plants. One species, Calendula officinalis, is the common marigold, and was supposed to blossom on the calends of every month, whence the name.

An hemipterous insect (Murgantia histrionica) which injures the cabbage and other garden plants; -- called also calico bug and harlequin cabbage bug.

A genus of plants, of the order Araceæ.

A plant coif or skullcap. Same as Calotte. B. Jonson.

A genus of herbaceous plants (Tribulus) of the order Zygophylleæ, having a hard several-celled fruit, armed with stout spines, and resembling the military instrument of the same name. The species grow in warm countries, and are often very annoying to cattle.

The root of a plant (Jateorrhiza Calumba, and probably Cocculus palmatus), indigenous in Mozambique. It has an unpleasantly bitter taste, and is used as a tonic and antiseptic. [Written also colombo, columbo, and calombo.] American calumba, the Frasera Carolinensis, also called American gentian. Its root has been used…

g the petals and stamens adnate to the calyx; -- applied to a subclass of dicotyledonous plants in the system of the French botanist Candolle.

A blue-flowered liliaceous plant (Camassia esculenta) of northwestern America, the bulbs of which are collected for food by the Indians. [Written also camas, cammas, and quamash.]

nd C. Oleifera are grown in China for the oil which is pressed from their seeds. The tea plant is now referred to this genus under the name of Camellia Thea.

A plant having long hard, crooked roots, the Ononis spinosa; -- called also rest-harrow. The Scandix Pecten-Veneris is also called cammock.

A large genus of plants bearing bell-shaped flowers, often of great beauty; -- also called bellflower.