Grass tree

Grass tree
Grass tree Grass" tree" (Bot.) (a) An Australian plant of the genus {Xanthorrh[oe]a}, having a thick trunk crowned with a dense tuft of pendulous, grasslike leaves, from the center of which arises a long stem, bearing at its summit a dense flower spike looking somewhat like a large cat-tail. These plants are often called ``blackboys'' from the large trunks denuded and blackened by fire. They yield two kinds of fragrant resin, called {Botany-bay gum}, and {Gum Acaroides}. (b) A similar Australian plant ({Kingia australis}). [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • grass tree — n. any of a genus (Xanthorrhoea) of plants of the grass tree family, native to Australia, with short, thick, woody trunks and grasslike leaves: some produce fragrant resins …   English World dictionary

  • grass-tree — [gras′trē΄] adj. designating a family (Xanthorrhoeaceae, order Liliales) of monocotyledonous plants * * * …   Universalium

  • grass tree — grass′ tree n. pln any Australian plant of the genus Xanthorrhoea, lily family, having a stout woody stem bearing a tuft of grasslike leaves …   From formal English to slang

  • grass-tree — [gras′trē΄] adj. designating a family (Xanthorrhoeaceae, order Liliales) of monocotyledonous plants …   English World dictionary

  • grass tree — noun 1. any of several Australian evergreen perennials having short thick woody stems crowned by a tuft of grasslike foliage and yielding acaroid resins • Syn: ↑Australian grass tree • Hypernyms: ↑arborescent plant • Member Holonyms: ↑Xanthorroea …   Useful english dictionary

  • grass tree — /ˈgras tri/ (say grahs tree) noun 1. Also, Chiefly SA, yacca. any species of plant belonging to the genera Xanthorrhoea and Kingia found in temperate Australia; black boy; kangaroo tail. 2. any of various other plants or trees, having leaves… …  

  • grass tree — any Australian plant of the genus Xanthorrhoea, of the lily family, having a stout, woody stem bearing a tuft of long grasslike leaves and a dense flower spike. [1795 1805] * * * ▪ plant       any plant of the genus Xanthorrhoea of the family… …   Universalium

  • grass tree — noun Date: 1802 any of a genus (Xanthorrhoea) of Australian plants of the lily family with a thick woody trunk bearing a cluster of stiff linear leaves and a terminal spike of small flowers …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • grass tree — noun another term for blackboy …   English new terms dictionary

  • grass-tree — …   Useful english dictionary

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