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dogtooth violet

(Encyclopedia)dogtooth violet, originally a name for the Old World plant Erythronium denscanis, now applied also to several North American species of the same genus of the family Liliaceae (lily family). The most c...

Goudy, Frederic William

(Encyclopedia)Goudy, Frederic William gouˈdē [key], 1865–1947, American type designer, b. Bloomington, Ill. Goudy is celebrated as one of the finest and most prolific type designers in history. In 1905, Goudy e...

fleabane

(Encyclopedia)fleabane, any plant of the genus Erigeron, widely distributed herbs of the family Asteraceae (aster family), especially abundant in temperate and mountainous regions of North America. The flowers, ran...

Mohl, Hugo von

(Encyclopedia)Mohl, Hugo von ho͞oˈgō fən mōl [key], 1805–72, German botanist. He is noted for his research on the nature of protoplasm and chlorophyll and on the physiology of higher plant forms. Mohl was pr...

nuclear winter

(Encyclopedia)nuclear winter, theory holding that the smoke and dust produced by a large nuclear war would result in a prolonged period of cold on the earth. The earliest version of the theory, which was put forwar...

peppergrass

(Encyclopedia)peppergrass, any species of the genus Lepidium, widely distributed peppery-tasting herbs of the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; mustard family). They commonly have toothed leaves, clusters of smal...

patchouli

(Encyclopedia)patchouli or patchouly both: păchˈo͝olē, pəcho͞oˈlē [key], fragrant shrubby East Indian plant (Pogostemon cablin or P. patchouli) of the family Labiatae (mint family). It is the source of a pe...

baby's breath

(Encyclopedia)baby's breath, name for a plant of the family Caryophyllaceae (pink family) and for several other flowers, e.g., white bedstraw of the family Rubiaceae (madder family) and grape hyacinth of the family...

manna

(Encyclopedia)manna mănˈə [key], in the Bible, edible substance provided by God for the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the Book of Exodus it is compared to coriander seed and described as fine, white, an...

Laon

(Encyclopedia)Laon läN [key], commercial town (1990 pop. 28,670), capital of Aisne dept., N France. It has forges, a printing plant, and factories that make heating equipment and metal goods. Situated on a rocky h...