XYR 



446 



ZON 



being extremely bitter : Xylopia 

 aromatica, ar'-om-dt'-ik-d (L. 

 dromdticus, aromatic, fragrant 

 from aroma, a spice), a species 

 commonly called Ethiopian pep- 

 per: X.glabra,^6-ra (L.glaber, 

 smooth, without hair),, a species 

 called Bitter-wood in W. Indies : 

 X. frutescens, frot>$s'ens (L. 

 frutex, a shrub or bush), a native 

 of Cayenne, the seeds used instead 

 of spices : X. grandiflora, grand' 

 l-jlor'-a (L, grdndis, great ; flos, 

 a flower, floris, of a flower), a 

 Brazilian species, esteemed for 

 its carminative fruits, and febrif- 

 ugal properties. 



Xyridacese,. n; plu., zir'td-d'se'e 

 (Gr. xurds, sharp, razor-like), the 

 Xyris family, an Order of plants, 

 whose leaves terminate in sharp 

 points : Xyris, n. , zlr'is, a genus 

 of plants. 



yaws, n. plu., yawz (African yaw, 

 a berry), a contagious disease, 

 common in Africa, characterised 

 by eruptions resembling straw- 

 berries. 



yeast, n. , yest (Ger. gascht, froth 

 of beer ; AS. gist, yeast), the 

 froth in the working of beer ; the 

 matter which separates from a 

 liquid during the vinous fermen- 

 tation ; yeast itself consists of a 

 mass of minute cryptogamic 

 plants : yeast plant, the popular 

 name for the fungus or vinegar 

 plant called Penicillium glauc- 



Zamia, n., zam'i-a (L. zdmia, 

 hurt, damage), a genus of very 

 remarkable plants, nearly related 

 both to ferns and palms, Ord. 

 Cycadacese : Zamia pumila, pum f > 

 U-d (L. pumilus, dwarfish, little), 

 a species which supplies an amyl- 

 aceous matter, has been sold as 

 arrowroot: Z. tenuis, ten'-u-is 

 (L. tenuis, thin, fine); and Z. 

 furfuracea, fer'fur-d's^d (L. 

 furfur, bran or husks of wheat), 



also produce a kind of arrow- 

 root. 



ZanthoxyllacesB, n. p[u.,zdnt7i-dJcs{ 

 tt-ld'se-e, see ' Xanthoxyllacese.' 



Zea, n., ze'-d (Gr. zeia, Sansc. 

 zeva, a species of corn), a genus 

 of plants, Ord. Graminese, so 

 named in reference to the nut- 

 ritive qualities of the plants: Zea 

 mays, md'iz (the Indian name), 

 maize or Indian corn. 



Zingiberacese. n. plu., zinf-ib^ 

 d'se-e (Gr. zinggibvris, the ginger 

 plant from a native name), the 

 Ginger family, an Order of plants, 

 whose seeds and roots possess 

 aromatic, stimulant properties 

 Order is also called Scitaminese : 

 Zingiber, n., zmj'ib-er, a genus 

 of aromatic plants : Zingiber 

 officinale, dffte'm-dl'Z (L. offtc- 

 indlis, officinal, by authority 

 from ' officlna, a workshop), a 

 species whose rhizomes constitute 

 the ginger of commerce, imported 

 from E. and W. Indies, roots 

 used as preserves in their young 

 state,, used as a carminative and 

 tonic in powder, syrup, or tincture. 



Zizania, n., ziz-dn'-i-d (Gr. zizani- 

 on, a weed growing among corn, 

 darnel), a genus of plants, natives 

 of America, Ord. Graminese : 

 Zizania aquatica, dk-wdt'-ik-d (L. 

 dqudticus, growing or found in 

 water from dqua, water), a 

 species which supplies a kind of 

 rice in Canada. 



Zizyphus, n., ziz'if-us (L. zizyph- 

 um, Gr. zizuphon, the jujube), a 

 genus of pretty plants, Ord. 

 Rhamnacese, the fruit of many 

 being edible : Zizyphus jujuba, 

 j6'-j6b-d (Gr. zizuphon, Ar. zifzuf, 

 the jujube tree), a tree which 

 supplies the fruit called jujube, 

 and a kind of Scinde lac is found 

 on it : Z. lotus, lot'-us (Gr. lotos, 

 L. lotus, the lotus), the Lotus or 

 Lote-bush of the classics. 



zona denticulata, zdn f -d dent>W- 

 ul'dt f -d (L. zona, Gr. zone, a belt or 

 girdle ; L. dZnticuldtus, furnished 



