BUTTONWOOD n.
The Platanus occidentalis, or American plane tree, a large tree, producing rough balls, from which it is named; -- called also buttonball tree, and, in some parts of the United States, sycamore. The California buttonwood is P. racemosa.
INDIAN n.
-- Indian tobacco (Bot.), a species of Lobelia. See Lobelia. -- Indian turnip (Bot.), an American plant of the genus Arisæma. A. triphyllum has a wrinkled farinaceous root resembling a small turnip, but with a very acrid juice. See Jack in the Pulpit, and Wake-robin. -- Indian wheat, maize or Indian corn. -- Indian…
JACK n.
a framework of boughs, carried in Mayday processions. -- Jack-in-the-pulpit (Bot.), the American plant Arisæma triphyllum, or Indian turnip, in which the upright spadix is inclosed. -- Jack-of-the-buttery (Bot.), the stonecrop (Sedum acre). -- Jack-of-the-clock, a figure, usually of a man, on old clocks, which stru…
JERUSALEM n.
a corrupt. of It. 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 o…
MAY n.
of small white flowers along the slender branches. -- May apple (Bot.), the fruit of an American plant (Podophyllum peltatum). Also, the plant itself (popularly called mandrake), which has two lobed leaves, and bears a single egg-shaped fruit at the forking. The root and leaves, used in medicine, are powerfully drast…
ORANGE n.
tors of shells on account of its rarity. -- Orange grass (Bot.), an inconspicuous annual American plant (Hypericum Sarothra), having minute, deep yellow flowers. -- Orange oil (Chem.), an oily, terpenelike substance obtained from orange rind, and distinct from neroli oil, which is obtained from the flowers. -- Orang…
PRICKLY a.
-- Prickly pear (Bot.), a name given to several plants of the cactaceous genus Opuntia, American plants consisting of fleshy, leafless, usually flattened, and often prickly joints inserted upon each other. The sessile flowers have many petals and numerous stamens. The edible fruit is a large pear-shaped berry contain…
QUEEN n.
evidence. See King's counsel, King's evidence, under King. -- Queen's delight (Bot.), an American plant (Stillinqia sylvatica) of the Spurge family, having an herbaceous stem and a perennial woody root. -- Queen's metal (Metal.), an alloy somewhat resembling pewter or britannia, and consisting essentially of tin with…