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ral species occur in the prairies of the United States. -- Prairie dock (Bot.), a coarse composite plant (Silphium terebinthaceum) with large rough leaves and yellow flowers, found in the Western prairies. -- Prairie dog (Zoöl.), a small American rodent (Cynomys Ludovicianus) allied to the marmots. It inhabits the pl…

A common American composite weed (Ambrosia artemisiæfolia) with finely divided leaves; hogweed. Great ragweed, a coarse American herb (Ambrosia trifida), with rough three-lobed opposite leaves.

A name given to several species of the composite genus Senecio.

er Plantain. -- Rattlesnake root (Bot.), a name given to certain American species of the composite genus Prenanthes (P. alba and P. serpentaria), formerly asserted to cure the bite of the rattlesnake. Calling also lion's foot, gall of the earth, and white lettuce. -- Rattlesnake's master (Bot.) (a) A species of Agave…

-- Ray flower, or Ray floret (Bot.), one of the marginal flowers of the capitulum in such composite plants as the aster, goldenrod, daisy, and sunflower. They have an elongated, strap-shaped corolla, while the corollas of the disk flowers are tubular and five-lobed. -- Ray point (Geom.), the common point of a pencil o…

orange color, transparent and durable, used by artists. Ure. -- Roman order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite, a., 2.

A name given in California to various composite plants which secrete resins or have a resinous smell.

A genus of composite plants, the coneflowers, consisting of perennial herbs with showy pedunculate heads, having a hemispherical involucre, sterile ray flowers, and a conical chaffy receptacle. There are about thirty species, exclusively North American. Rudbeckia hirta, the black-eyed Susan, is a common weed in meadow…

An annual composite plant (Carthamus tinctorius), the flowers of which are used as a dyestuff and in making rouge; bastard, or false, saffron.

th, Pupa, and Woolly bear, under Woolly. -- Salt-marsh fleabane (Bot.), a strong-scented composite herb (Pluchea camphorata) with rayless purplish heads, growing in salt marshes. -- Salt-marsh hen (Zoöl.), the clapper rail. See under Rail. -- Salt-marsh terrapin (Zoöl.), the diamond-back. -- Salt mine, a mine where…

Any plant of the composite genus Serratula; -- so named from the serrated leaves of most of the species.

A very large genus of composite plants including the groundsel and the golden ragwort.

A composite plant (Aster Tripolium) growing along the seacoast of Europe.

A yellow-flowered composite plant (Helenium autumnale) the odor of which is said to cause sneezing.

. [Obs.] Beau & Fl. Sociable bird, or Sociable weaver (Zoöl.), a weaver bird which builds composite nests. See Republican, n., 3. (b).

A genus of yellow-flowered composite perennial herbs; golden- rod.

hiefly on decaying vegetable substances. -- Sow thistle Etym: [AS. sugepistel] (Bot.), a composite plant (Sonchus oleraceus) said to be eaten by swine and some other animals.

to the Old World. -- Spanish moss. (Bot.) See Tillandsia. -- Spanish needles (Bot.), a composite weed (Bidens bipinnata) having achenia armed with needlelike awns. -- Spanish nut (Bot.), a bulbous plant (Iris Sisyrinchium) of the south of Europe. -- Spanish potato (Bot.), the sweet potato. See under Potato. -- Sp…

A diminutive scale or bractlet, such as those found on the receptacle in many composite plants; a palea.

as, the putting of the Doric order in the ground story, Ionic above it, and Corinthian or Composite above this.