Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

prune

(Encyclopedia)prune, popular name for a dried plum. Fruits of the many varieties of Prunus domestica, which are firm-fleshed and dry easily without removal of the stone, are gathered after falling from the tree, di...

ramontchi

(Encyclopedia)ramontchi, small tree or shrub (Flacourtia indica) belonging to the family Flacourtiaceae. It is cultivated in S Asia and in other tropical regions for its large edible berries. Dark purple to black i...

chocolate

(Encyclopedia)chocolate, general term for the products of the seeds of the cacao or chocolate tree, used for making beverages or confectionery. The flavor of chocolate depends not only on the quality of the cocoa n...

cedar

(Encyclopedia)cedar, common name for a number of trees, mostly coniferous evergreens. The true cedars belong to the small genus Cedrus of the family Pinaceae (pine family). All are native to the Old World from the ...

compost

(Encyclopedia)compost, substance composed mainly of partly decayed organic material that is applied to fertilize the soil and to increase its humus content; it is often used in vegetable farming, home gardens, flow...

Christ's-thorn

(Encyclopedia)Christ's-thorn, name for several Old World plants popularly said to have composed the crown of thorns. It is applied most often to two members of the family Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family): (1) the Jeru...

mangosteen

(Encyclopedia)mangosteen mangˈgəstēnˌ [key], the edible fruit of Garcinia mangostana, of the family Clusiaceae (Guttiferae), an evergreen tree native to SE Asia. The purple fruit is similar to an orange in size...

Lathrop, George Parsons

(Encyclopedia)Lathrop, George Parsons lāˈthrəp [key], 1851–98, American author, b. near Honolulu; studied in Germany (1867–70). He was the husband of Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, the daughter of Nathaniel Hawthor...

black gum

(Encyclopedia)black gum, ornamental deciduous tree (Nyssa sylvatica family Nyssaceae) native to E North America. The leaves turn bright scarlet in the fall. The very tough wood was used for wheel hubs and other pur...

Blida

(Encyclopedia)Blida blēˈdä [key], town, N Algeria, at the foot of the Mitidja Atlas Mts. The name also a...

Browse by Subject