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sandbur

(Encyclopedia)sandbur or bur grass, any species of the genus Cenchrus of the family Poaceae (grass family), sandy-soil plants of tropical and temperate regions. At maturity the sharp spines and burlike seeds make t...

Hercules'-club

(Encyclopedia)Hercules'-club, common name for several small, thorny trees, chiefly the devil's-walking-stick of the family Aralaceae (ginseng family) and the prickly ash of the family Rutaceae (orange family). The ...

Harim

(Encyclopedia)Harim hāˈrĭm [key], in the Bible. 1 Family of priests in the return from the Exile. An alternate form is Rehum. 2 Another family of priests in the return from the Exile. 3 Priest, probably the ance...

bellflower, in botany

(Encyclopedia)bellflower or bluebell, name commonly used as a comprehensive term for members of the Campanulaceae, a family of chiefly herbaceous annuals or perennials of wide distribution, characteristically found...

bittersweet

(Encyclopedia)bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. One, called also woody nightshade...

pimento

(Encyclopedia)pimento or allspice, common names for a tree (Pimenta dioica or P. officinalis) of the family Myrtaceae (myrtle family) cultivated in the West Indies for its dried unripe berries, used medicinally and...

stock, in botany

(Encyclopedia)stock, in botany, common name for any species of the genus Matthiola, for Malcomia maritima (Virginia stock), and for the wallflower, all belonging to the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; mustard f...

De Mita, Ciriaco Luigi

(Encyclopedia)De Mita, Ciriaco Luigi, 1928–, Italian political leader, premier of Italy (1988–89). A Christian Democrat for most of his political career, he was a member of parliament (1963–94, 1996–2008) a...

Ferraris, Galileo

(Encyclopedia)Ferraris, Galileo gälēlāˈō fār-räˈrēs [key], 1847–97, Italian physicist and electrical engineer. He is noted for his work on alternating current and for his discovery (1885) of the rotary m...

Graevius, Johann Georg

(Encyclopedia)Graevius, Johann Georg yōˈhän gāˈôrk grāˈvēo͝os [key], 1632–1703, German antiquary. His German name was Gräve or Greffe. He was historiographer to William III of England and is remembered...