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marcasite

(Encyclopedia)marcasite märˈkəsīt [key] or white iron pyrites, a mineral closely resembling and having the same chemical composition (FeS2) as pyrite. It differs from pyrite in that it is paler in color, become...

macadamia

(Encyclopedia)macadamia măkˌədāˈmēə [key], name for the nut of the Macadamia ternifolia, an evergreen tree native to Australia, but cultivated elsewhere, including Hawaii and South Africa. The small, edible ...

magnesia, chemical compound

(Encyclopedia)magnesia, common name for the chemical compound magnesium oxide, MgO. It occurs as colorless, cubic crystals. It is refractory, melting at about 2,800℃. It is very slightly soluble in pure water but...

Plymouth Rock chicken

(Encyclopedia)Plymouth Rock chicken, one of the most popular early breeds of poultry. The Barred Plymouth Rock was a favorite farm chicken since it was both a good egg producer and also developed a large quantity o...

petunia

(Encyclopedia)petunia, any plant of the genus Petunia, South American herbs of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family). The common garden petunias, planted also in window boxes, are all considered hybrids of whit...

cerussite

(Encyclopedia)cerussite sērˈəsīt [key], colorless to white or gray mineral, sometimes yellowish or greenish, transparent to opaque, very brittle, crystallizing in the orthorhombic system and occurring also in g...

Carrara

(Encyclopedia)Carrara kär-räˈrä [key], city, Tuscany, N central Italy, near the Ligurian Sea. It is the ...

catechu

(Encyclopedia)catechu kătˈəcho͞o [key] or cutch, extract from the heartwood of Acacia catechu, a leguminous tree of the pulse family, native to India and Myanmar. Catechu is a fast brown dye used for various sh...

Tampere

(Encyclopedia)Tampere tämˈpĕrā [key], Swed. Tammerfors, city (1998 pop. 191,254), Western Finland prov., SW Finland, on the banks of the rapids between lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. It is the third largest...

varying hare

(Encyclopedia)varying hare, any of several medium-sized hares, sometimes known as snowshoe rabbits, having white fur in winter and turning brownish in summer. They are 18 to 19 in. (45–48 cm) long and have very l...