PRICKLY a.
egion, and O. Dillenii has become common in India. -- Prickly pole (Bot.), a West Indian palm (Bactris Plumierana), the slender trunk of which bears many rings of long black prickles. -- Prickly withe (Bot.), a West Indian cactaceous plant (Cereus triangularis) having prickly, slender, climbing, triangular stems. --…
RASP n.
raspberry. [Obs.] "Set sorrel amongst rasps, and the rasps will be smaller." Bacon. Rasp palm (Bot.), a Brazilian palm tree (Iriartea exorhiza) which has strong aërial roots like a screw pine. The roots have a hard, rough surface, and are used by the natives for graters and rasps, whence the common name.…
RATTAN n.
One of the long slender flexible stems of several species of palms of the genus Calamus, mostly East Indian, though some are African and Australian. They are exceedingly tough, and are used for walking sticks, wickerwork, chairs and seats of chairs, cords and cordage, and many other purposes.
ROYAL a.
yal sail are attached to the royal mast. -- Royal metal, an old name for gold. -- Royal palm (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree (Oreodoxa regia), lately discovered also in Florida. -- Royal pheasant. See Curassow. -- Royal purple, an intense violet color, verging toward blue. -- Royal tern (Zoöl.), a larg…