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peyote

(Encyclopedia)peyote pāōˈtē [key], spineless cactus (Lophophora williamsii), ingested by indigenous people in Mexico and the United States to produce visions. The plant is native to the SW United States, partic...

Mendel, Gregor Johann

(Encyclopedia)Mendel, Gregor Johann grāˈgôr yōˈhän mĕnˈdəl [key], 1822–84, Austrian monk noted for his experimental work on heredity. He entered the Augustinian monastery in Brno in 1843, taught at a loc...

cactus

(Encyclopedia)cactus, any plant of the family Cactaceae, a large group of succulents found almost entirely in the New World. A cactus plant is conspicuous for its fleshy green stem, which performs the functions of ...

La Verne

(Encyclopedia)La Verne lə vûrn [key], city (1990 pop. 30,897), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1906. La Verne, which began as a citrus-processing center, now has varied manufacturing, inc...

menthol

(Encyclopedia)menthol, white crystalline substance with a characteristic pungent odor. It is derived from the oil of the peppermint plant, Mentha piperita (see mint), or prepared synthetically from coal tar. An alc...

mare's-tail

(Encyclopedia)mare's-tail, any plant of the genus Hippuris, perennial, submerged aquatic herbs of temperate and frigid regions. Mare's-tails have an erect stem bearing whorls of small leaves, so they resemble some ...

Kirovohrad

(Encyclopedia)Kirovohrad kēˌrəvəhrädˈ [key], Rus. Kirovograd, city (1989 pop. 269,000), capital of Kirovohrad region, Ukraine, on the Inhul River. It is an agricultural trade center, with a large farm machine...

Nahanni National Park Reserve

(Encyclopedia)Nahanni National Park Reserve nəhănˈē [key], c.1,840 sq mi (4,766 sq km), Northwest Territories, Canada, W of Fort Simpson; est. 1972. Located just E of the Yukon border, the park extends along th...

Namib-Naukluft National Park

(Encyclopedia)Namib-Naukluft National Park, 19,216 sq mi (49,768 sq km), W Namibia, encompassing parts of the Namib Desert and the Naukluft mountain range. It was established in 1979 when the Namib Desert Park (beg...

Halden

(Encyclopedia)Halden hälˈdən [key], town, Østfold co., SE Norway, a port on the Iddefjord (an arm of th...