Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

laburnum

(Encyclopedia)laburnum ləbûrˈnəm [key] or golden chain, small tree (Laburnum anagyroides) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) with decorative dark green leaves and sprays of bright yellow flowers. It is na...

leadwort

(Encyclopedia)leadwort lĕdˈwôrt, –wərt [key], common name for the Plumbaginaceae, a family of perennial herbs and shrubs usually found in semiarid regions, especially of the Mediterranean area and Central Asi...

papaya

(Encyclopedia)papaya pəpīˈə [key], soft-stemmed tree (Carica papaya) of tropical America resembling a palm with a crown of palmately lobed leaves. It is cultivated for its melonlike yellow fruits eaten raw or c...

passionflower

(Encyclopedia)passionflower, any plant of the genus Passiflora, mostly tropical American vines having pulpy fruits. Some species are grown in greenhouses for their large, unusual flowers of various colors; those se...

pennyroyal

(Encyclopedia)pennyroyal, name for two similar plants of the family Labiatae (mint family), usually distinguished as true, or European, pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) and American, or mock, pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegi...

baneberry

(Encyclopedia)baneberry, any plant of the small genus Actaea, north temperate perennials of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family) sometimes cultivated for the handsome (though poisonous) berrylike fruits. Nat...

robin's plantain

(Encyclopedia)robin's plantain plănˈtĭn [key], common name of several plants belonging to the family Asteraceae (aster family). Robin's plantain, also known as hawkweed, of the genus Hieracium, is mostly native ...

watercress

(Encyclopedia)watercress, hardy perennial European herb (Nasturtium officinale) of the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; mustard family), widely naturalized in North America, found in or around water. Often culti...

wheat grass

(Encyclopedia)wheat grass, any plant of the genus Agropyron, cool-season perennials of the family Poaceae (grass family). Species of wheat grass, both native and introduced, are important range forage grasses in th...

calendula

(Encyclopedia)calendula kəlĕnˈjələ [key], any species of the genus Calendula, Old World plants of the family Asteraceae (aster family). The common calendula (C. officinalis), an annual with yellow to deep oran...