Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

tarragon

(Encyclopedia)tarragon târˈəgŏn [key], perennial aromatic Old World herb (Artemisia dracunculus) of the family Asteraceae (aster family), of the same genus as wormwood and sagebrush. It has long been cultivated...

Christmasberry

(Encyclopedia)Christmasberry or toyon tōˈyən [key], evergreen tree or shrub (Photinia arbutifolia) of the family Rosaceae (rose family), found on the Pacific coast of North America. Its white flowers are followe...

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...

poinciana

(Encyclopedia)poinciana poinsēāˈnə, –ăˈnə [key], any shrub or tree of the tropical and subtropical genus Poinciana of the family Leguminosae (pulse family). Poincianas are popular ornamentals for their sho...

pyracantha

(Encyclopedia)pyracantha pĭrˌəkănˈthə [key] or firethorn, any hardwood evergreen shrub of the genus Pyracantha of the family Rosaceae (rose family). Native from S Europe to W China, pyracanthas are now cultiv...

oxeye

(Encyclopedia)oxeye, name for several plants, e.g., the oxeye daisy and black-eyed Susan, but particularly for two genera: Heliopsis, native to North America, and Buphthalmum, native to Europe and W Asia but cultiv...

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...

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...

forsythia

(Encyclopedia)forsythia fôrsĭthˈēə [key], common name for any member of the small genus Forsythia of the family Oleaceae (olive family), European and Asian shrubs with abundant bell-shaped yellow flowers that ...

hornbeam

(Encyclopedia)hornbeam or ironwood, name in North America for two groups of trees of the family Betulaceae (birch family), native to the eastern half of the continent. Carpinus caroliniana, also called blue beech a...

Browse by Subject