Stipa spartea

Stipa spartea
Porcupine Por"cu*pine, n. [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc-['e]pic (cf. It. porco spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine). The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp.; cf. F. ['e]pi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See {Pork}, {Spike} a large nail, {Spine}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any Old Word rodent of the genus {Hystrix}, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia ({Hystrix cristata}) is the best known. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) Any species of {Erethizon} and related genera, native of America. They are related to the true porcupines, but have shorter spines, and are arboreal in their habits. The Canada porcupine ({Erethizon dorsatus}) is a well known species. [1913 Webster]

{Porcupine ant-eater} (Zo["o]l.), the echidna.

{Porcupine crab} (Zo["o]l.), a large spiny Japanese crab ({Acantholithodes hystrix}).

{Porcupine disease} (Med.). See {Ichthyosis}.

{Porcupine fish} (Zo["o]l.), any plectognath fish having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See {Diodon}, and {Globefish}.

{Porcupine grass} (Bot.), a grass ({Stipa spartea}) with grains bearing a stout twisted awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate grain into the wool and flesh of sheep. It is found from Illinois westward. See Illustration in Appendix.

{Porcupine wood} (Bot.), the hard outer wood of the cocoa palm; -- so called because, when cut horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Stipa spartea — Taxobox name = Porcupine grass image width = 240px image caption = S. spartea seed regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Liliopsida ordo = Poales familia = Poaceae tribe = Stipeae genus = Stipa species = S. spartea binomial = Stipa… …   Wikipedia

  • Stipa spartea — Grass Grass, n. [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, gr[ae]s, g[ae]rs; akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras, Dan. gr[ae]s, Sw. gr[aum]s, and prob. to E. green, grow. Cf. {Graze}.] 1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stipa spartea Trin. — Symbol HESP11 Synonym Symbol STSP2 Botanical Family Poaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Stipa spartea Trin. var. curtiseta Hitchc. — Symbol HECU9 Synonym Symbol STSPC2 Botanical Family Poaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Stipa — Green needle grass, Stipa viridula Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • Stipa — L. (Pfriemengras), Gattung der Gramineen, ausdauernde Gräser mit meist ausgebreiteter Rispe, schmalen, oft begrannten Hüllspelzen, die länger sind als die meist mit einem spitzen, behaarten Callus versehenen Deckspelzen, und einblütigen, großen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Виды рода Ковыль — Приложение к статье Ковыль Список видов, входящих в род Ковыль (Stipa) Список составлен на основе данных сайта The Plant List. Знаком × отмечены виды, имеющие гибридное происхождение. Синонимика видов в данном списке не приводится …   Википедия

  • Stipeae —   Stipeae Stipa spartea …   Wikipedia Español

  • List of monocotyledons of Montana — This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. Broad Leaf Cattail There are at least 615 species of Monocotyledons found in Montana …   Wikipedia

  • needlegrass — needle grass n. See feather grass. * * * ▪ Stipa  any of the grasses of the genus Stipa (family Poaceae), consisting of about 150 species with a sharply pointed grain and a long, threadlike awn (bristle). In some species, such as porcupine grass… …   Universalium

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