Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

robin

(Encyclopedia)robin or robin redbreast, common name for a migratory bird of the family Turdidae (thrush family). ...

water lily

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Fragrant water lily, Nymphaea odorata water lily, common name for some members of the Nymphaeaceae, a family of freshwater perennial herbs found in most parts of the world and often characteri...

civet

(Encyclopedia)civet sĭvˈət [key] or civet cat, any of a large group of mostly nocturnal mammals of the Old World family Viverridae (civet family), which also includes the mongoose. Civets are not true cats, but ...

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...

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...

Browse by Subject