mesembryanthemum

2 definitions found

mesembryanthemum - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Mesembryanthemum \Me*sem`bry*an"the*mum\, n. [NL., fr. Gr.
     meshmbri`a midday + 'a`nqos flower.] (Bot.)
     A genus of herbaceous or suffruticose plants, chiefly natives
     of South Africa. The leaves are opposite, thick, and fleshy.
     The flowers usually open about midday, whence the name.
     [1913 Webster]

mesembryanthemum - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Mesembryanthemum
      n 1: South African annual or biennial plants having flowers that
           open only in bright sunlight [syn: Mesembryanthemum,
           genus Mesembryanthemum]