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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



107 words match “PERENNIAL”

INDECIDUOUS a.
or falling, as the leaves of trees in autumn; lasting; evergreen; persistent; permanent; perennial. The indeciduous and unshaven locks of Apollo. Sir T. Browne.
JACOB n.
e shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel. Gen. xxxii. 28. Jacob's ladder. (a) (Bot.) A perennial herb of the genus Polemonium (P. coeruleum), having corymbs of drooping flowers, usually blue. Gray. (b) (Naut.) A rope ladder, with wooden steps, for going aloft. R. H. Dana, Jr. (c) (Naut.) A succession of short cracks…
JERUSALEM n.
girasole i.e., sunflower, or turnsole. See Gyre, Solar.] (Bot.) (a) An American plant, a perennial species of sunflower (Helianthus tuberosus), whose tubers are sometimes used as food. (b) One of the tubers themselves. -- Jerusalem cherry (Bot.), the popular name of either of either of two species of Solanum (S. Pseu…
JOHNSON GRASS n.
A tall perennial grass (Sorghum Halepense), valuable in the Southern and Western States for pasture and hay. The rootstocks are large and juicy and are eagerly sought by swine. Called also Cuba grass, Means grass, Evergreen millet, and Arabian millet.
LICORICE n.
over (Trifolium alpinum), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. -- Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whos…
LILY n.
head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish. -- Lily of the valley (Bot.), a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. -- Lily pad, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] Lowell. -- Tiger lily (Bot.), Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are bl…
LIZARD'S TAIL n.
A perennial plant of the genus Saururus (S. cernuus), growing in marshes, and having white flowers crowded in a slender terminal spike, somewhat resembling in form a lizard's tail; whence the name. Gray.
LONDON n.
d enlargements. -- London pride. (Bot.) (a) A garden name for Saxifraga umbrosa, a hardy perennial herbaceous plant, a native of high lands in Great Britain. (b) A name anciently given to the Sweet William. Dr. Prior. -- London rocket (Bot.), a cruciferous plant (Sisymbrium Irio) which sprung up in London abundantly…
LOPSEED n.
A perennial herb (Phryma Leptostachya), having slender seedlike fruits.
LOUSEWORT n.
Any species of Pedicularis, a genus of perennial herbs. It was said to make sheep that fed on it lousy. Yellow lousewort , a plant of the genus Rhinanthus.
LYME GRASS n.
A coarse perennial grass of several species of Elymus, esp. E. Canadensis, and the European E. arenarius.
MARSH MARIGOLD n.
. (Bot.) A perennial plant of the genus Caltha (C. palustris), growing in wet places and bearing bright yellow flowers. In the United States it is used as a pot herb under the name of cowslip. See Cowslip.
MITERWORT n.
Any plant of the genus Mitella, -- slender, perennial herbs with a pod slightly resembling a bishop's miter; bishop's cap. False miterwort, a white-flowered perennial herb of the United States (Tiarella cardifolia).
MOOR n.
Heath. -- Moor game. (Zoöl.) Same as Moor fowl (above). -- Moor grass (Bot.), a tufted perennial grass (Sesleria cærulea), found in mountain pastures of Europe. -- Moor hawk (Zoöl.), the marsh harrier. -- Moor hen. (Zoöl.) (a) The female of the moor fowl. (b) A gallinule, esp. the European species. See Gallinule.…
MOUNTAIN a.
of a brownish color, used in crayon painting; saxonite. -- Mountain sorrel (Bot.), a low perennial plant (Oxyria digyna with rounded kidney-form leaves, and small greenish flowers, found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in high northern latitudes. Gray. -- Mountain sparrow (Zoöl.), the European tree sparr…
MUSA n.
A genus of perennial, herbaceous, endogenous plants of great size, including the banana (Musa sapientum), the plantain (M. paradisiaca of Linnæus, but probably not a distinct species), the Abyssinian (M. Ensete), the Philippine Island (M. textilis, which yields Manila hemp), and about eighteen other species. See Illust…
NAVELWORT n.
A European perennial succulent herb (Cotyledon umbilicus), having round, peltate leaves with a central depression; -- also called pennywort, and kidneywort.
ORCHIDACEOUS a.
(Orchidaceæ) of endogenous plants of which the genus Orchis is the type. They are mostly perennial herbs having the stamens and pistils united in a single column, and normally three petals and three sepals, all adherent to the ovary. The flowers are curiously shaped, often resembling insects, the odd or lower petal (c…
ORCHIS n.
nts growing in the North Temperate zone, and consisting of about eighty species. They are perennial herbs growing from a tuber (beside which is usually found the last year's tuber also), and are valued for their showy flowers. See Orchidaceous.
PALMA CHRISTI n.
Ricinus communis) with ornamental peltate and palmately cleft foliage, growing as a woody perennial in the tropics, and cultivated as an herbaceous annual in temperate regions; -- called also castor-oil plant. [Sometimes corrupted into palmcrist.]
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