phorbeia (forbia)

[NL., They are small, nearly βειν, feed: see herb.] Same as capistrum, 1. Phoridæ (for'i-dē), (for'i-dē), n. pl. pl. [NL., phorminx (fôr'mingks), n. [NL., We beat the phorminx till we hurt our thumbs, As if still ignorant of counterpoint. Mrs. Browning , Aurora Leigh, i. Phormium (fôr'mi-um), n. [NL. (J. and G. Forster, 1776), φορμίον , a plant, a kind of sage. Cf. Gr. φορμίον , dim. of φορμός , a basket, mat, φέρειν = E. bear1 .] A genus of liliaceous plants of the tribe Heme rocalleæ , characterized by the turbinate form of the perianth above its short tube, with three lanceolate erect sepals and three thinner petals slightly spreading at the apex. The 2 species, with several varieties, are natives of New Zealand and Norfolk Island. They are perennials, forming large tufts, with rigid two-ranked sword-shaped radical leaves from a short thickened rootstock. le scape branching at the summit, with erect variegated New Zealand Flax ( Phor mium tenax variegata ). They bear a tall leaf IMG:content-0053.jpg:[blocks in formation] lurid or yellow and red flowers in a terminal panicle. The phosphide (fos'fid or - or-fid), n. [ decoration. The other varieties are cultivated also for their beauty, and especially for their fiber-the strongest vegetable fiber known. The plants are raised from the divided roots or from seeds, and are hardy in England. The fiber is now sold for making cordage, paper, etc., and gardeners use the leaves as cordage when simply torn into Phoronis (fō-rō'nis), n. [NL., is the so-called act i not roch a.