acanthus

[In Fr. a can the; Sp. & Ital. a can to; Lat. acanthus; Gr. ἄκανθος ( akanthos ), fr. άκανθα ( a kantha ) = a thorn, because many of the species are spinous. Virgil confounds two plants under the name acanthus. One is either the acanthus of modern botanists (see No. 1), or the holly; the other is an acacia. The acanthus of Theophrastus was also an acacia, and probably the Arabica.] [See ACACIA.] 1. A genus of plants, the typical one of the order Acanth aceæ, or Acanth ads. In English it is inelegantly termed Bear's-breech, or more euphoniously, brank ursine. There are several species. Most have a single herbaceous stalk of some height, thick, great pinnatifid leaves, and the flowers in terminal spikes. IMG:content-0070.png:[blocks in formation]