zoster a

[Gr. zōster =a girdle.] 1. Bot .: Gra -wrack; the typical genus of Zoster(q. v.), which is sometimes reduced to a tribe of Naiadacese. The species are gra -like sea plants, with matted creeping rootstocks, long, linear distichous sheathing leaves, a foliace ous spathe, and a lin ear, membranous spadix, with inconspicuous green flow ers inserted in two rows on one of its sides. Anthers ovate, IMG:content-1143.jpg:[graphic][subsumed] se ile, alternating with the ovate germens; style one; stigmas two, elongated, linear; fruit with one seed. Known species two. They are Zoster a marina , the Broad- 1. Spadix. 2. Pistil. 3. Anther. leaved, and Z. nana , Zoster a Marina. IMG:content-1144.png:[graphic] the Dwarf Gra -wrack. The former has leaves one to three feet long and a many-flowered spadix, the latter has the leaves six inches long and a few-flowered spadix. They occur in muddy and sandy estuaries near low-water mark, the second being the rarer species. Z. marina is used largely in continental Europe for packing small fancy articles for exportation, and for stuffing cushions. 2. Palæobot .: One species is found in the British Pleistocene. zös-ter-ā-çě-æ, s. pl. [Latin zoster ( a ); Latin fem. pl. adj. suff. -aceœ.] Bot .: Sea-wracks; an order of Endogens, alliance Hydrales. Marine plants living among seaweeds, and resembling them in appearance. Leaves thin, gra y, sheathing at the base; flowers very minute, naked, or surrounded by three scales situated within herbaceous spathes. Anthers definite in number, se ile, one or two celled; stigmas one or two, capillary; ovary free, one-celled; ovule one; fruit drupaceous, one-celled, with a single pendulous seed. Found chiefly at the bottom of the ocean, though occasionally on the shore, especially in the Eastern hemisphere. Known genera five, species twelve. ( Kunth & Lindley . )