Columbia Encyclopedia

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compass plant

(Encyclopedia)compass plant or rosinweed, large, coarse North American perennial herb (Silphium laciniatum) of the family Asteraceae (aster family), found chiefly in open grasslands. The deeply cut leaves tend to p...

cosmos

(Encyclopedia)cosmos kŏzˈməs [key], any plant of the tropical American genus Cosmos of the family Asteraceae (aster family). C. bipinnatus, of Mexico, and others are cultivated in many varieties for their showy ...

cocklebur

(Encyclopedia)cocklebur or clotbur, any species of the genus Xanthium, widely distributed, coarse annual plants of the family Asteraceae (aster family). They are often persistent weeds; the two-seeded oval burrs ar...

chickpea

(Encyclopedia)chickpea, annual plant (Cicer arietinum) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), cultivated since antiquity for the somewhat pealike seeds, which are often used as food and forage, principally in In...

ice plant

(Encyclopedia)ice plant, low, fleshy plant (Cryophytum crystalinum) of warm, dry, barren regions. It is cultivated chiefly as a curiosity because of its leaves, densely coated with small, glistening, bladder-shaped...

antelope brush

(Encyclopedia)antelope brush, low, deciduous shrub (Purshia tridentata) of the family Rosaceae (rose family), widely distributed in the W United States where it is a characteristic constituent of the vegetation on ...

globeflower

(Encyclopedia)globeflower, common name for any plant of the genus Trollius of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family), hardy perennials of north temperate meadows and swamps. Their blossoms are larger than thos...

grape hyacinth

(Encyclopedia)grape hyacinth, any plant of the genus Muscari of the family Liliaceae (lily family), low plants with dense spikelike clusters of small, nodding flowers that are usually deep blue. Of more than 50 Old...

furze

(Encyclopedia)furze, any plant of the genus Ulex of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), low, densely branched shrubs with spiny leaves (when present) and fragrant yellow blossoms. U. europaeus, the common furze ...

macadamia

(Encyclopedia)macadamia măkˌədāˈmēə [key], name for the nut of the Macadamia ternifolia, an evergreen tree native to Australia, but cultivated elsewhere, including Hawaii and South Africa. The small, edible ...