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artichoke

(Encyclopedia)artichoke, name for two different plants of the family Asteraceae (aster family), both having edible parts. The French, or globe, artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a thistlelike plant of which the globul...

acanthus

(Encyclopedia)acanthus əkănˈthəs [key], common name for a member of the Acanthaceae, a family of chiefly perennial herbs and shrubs, mostly native to the tropics. A few members of the family, many of which have...

mayflower, in botany

(Encyclopedia)mayflower, in botany, name for several spring-blooming plants. In England the hawthorn is called mayflower, or may; in North America the name is used for the trailing arbutus, the hepatica, and an her...

mombin

(Encyclopedia)mombin mōmˈbēn [key], any tree of the tropical genus Spondias of the family Anacardiaceae (sumac family). The plum-shaped fruits, 1 to 2.5 in. (2.54–6.38 cm) long, are much eaten in the tropics. ...

legume

(Encyclopedia)legume lĕˈgyo͞om, lĭgyo͞omˈ [key], common name for any plant of the family Leguminosae, which is called also the pulse, legume, pea, or bean family. The word is often used loosely in the plural ...

kohlrabi

(Encyclopedia)kohlrabi kōlˈräˈbē [key] [Ger. partly from Ital.,=turnip cabbage], plant (Brassica caulorapa, sometimes classified as var. caulorapa of the cabbage species) of the family Cruciferae (or Brassicac...

kudzu

(Encyclopedia)kudzu ko͝odˈzo͞o [key], plant of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), native to Japan. Kudzu (Pueraria thunbergiana) has a woody stem, broad leaves, and clusters of large purple flowers. It is us...

kumquat

(Encyclopedia)kumquat kŭmˈkwŏt [key], ornamental shrub of the genus Fortunella of the family Rutaceae (rue family), closely related to the orange and other citrus fruits. It has evergreen leaves, sweet-scented w...

sainfoin

(Encyclopedia)sainfoin sānˈfoin [key] [Fr.,=holy hay], leguminous perennial herb (Onobrychis viciaefolia) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) indigenous in S Europe and in temperate W Asia. Sainfoin has for ...

ragweed

(Encyclopedia)ragweed, any plant of the genus Ambrosia, coarse, weedy herbs belonging to the family Asteraceae (aster family), most of which are native to America. They have inconspicuous greenish flowers and soft ...