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A genus of grasses, including several hundred species, some of which are valuable; panic grass.

ry large, sinuate, pinnatifid leaves, and small, panicled, apetalous flowers. -- Parrot wrasse, Parrot fish (Zoöl.), any fish of the genus Scarus. One species (S. Cretensis), found in the Mediterranean, is esteemed by epicures, and was highly prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

having ocelli like those of peacock. -- Peacock fish (Zoöl.), the European blue-striped wrasse (Labrus variegatus); -- so called on account of its brilliant colors. Called also cook wrasse and cook. -- Peacock pheasant (Zoöl.), any one of several species of handsome Asiatic pheasants of the genus Polyplectron. They r…

fine hairs; ending in a tuft of hairs like a camel's-hair brush, as the stigmas of some grasses.

One who persecutes, or harasses. Shak.

One who pesters or harasses.

A genus of grasses, including the timothy (Phleum pratense), which is highly valued for hay; cat's-tail grass. Gray.

nicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses. Plume bird (Zoöl.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida (Ardea candidissima). -- Plume grass. (Bot…

A genus of grasses, including a great number of species, as the kinds called meadow grass, Kentucky blue grass, June grass, and spear grass (which see).

ty of the blood; poverty of ideas. Poverty grass (Bot.), a name given to several slender grasses (as Aristida dichotoma, and Danthonia spicata) which often spring up on old and worn-out fields.

Something which perplexes or embarrasses; especially, a toy or a problem contrived for testing ingenuity; also, something exhibiting marvelous skill in making.

ith water that it shakes when trodden upon. -- Quaking grass. (Bot.) (a) One of several grasses of the genus Briza, having slender-stalked and pendulous ovate spikelets, which quake and rattle in the wind. Briza maxima is the large quaking grass; B. media and B. minor are the smaller kinds. (b) Rattlesnake grass (Glyc…

To put on order; to make tidy; also, to free from entanglement or embarrassement; -- generally with up; as, to red up a house. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

A name given to many tall and coarse grasses or grasslike plants, and their slender, often jointed, stems, such as the various kinds of bamboo, and especially the common reed of Europe and North America (Phragmites communis).

ally, to cut down living expenses; as, it is more reputable to retrench than to live embarrassed.

of inflorescence; the zigzag axis on which the florets are arranged in the spikelets of grasses.

adian wild rice, etc. -- Mountain rice, any species of an American genus (Oryzopsis) of grasses, somewhat resembling rice. -- Rice bunting. (Zoöl.) Same as Ricebird. -- Rice hen (Zoöl.), the Florida gallinule. -- Rice mouse (Zoöl.), a large dark-colored field mouse (Calomys palistris) of the Southern United States.…

Also, the Spanish broom. See under Candle. -- Rush grass, any grass of the genus Vilfa, grasses with wiry stems and one-flowered spikelets. -- Rush toad (Zoöl.), the natterjack. -- Scouring rush (Bot.) Same as Dutch rush, under Dutch. -- Spike rush, any rushlike plant of the genus Eleocharis, in which the flowers g…

old or fungus forming reddish or rusty spots on the leaves and stems of cereal and other grasses (Trichobasis Rubigo- vera), now usually believed to be a form or condition of the corn mildew (Puccinia graminis). As rust, it has solitary reddish spores; as corn mildew, the spores are double and blackish.…

See also Ray grass, and Darnel. -- Wild rye (Bot.), any plant of the genus Elymus, tall grasses with much the appearance of rye.