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[An abbreviation of Low Latin cal citrapa a caltrap (q. v.). Named from the spines on the fruit.] Bot.: Water Caltraps, the sole genus of Trapesem (q. v.). Floating plants, with the petioles tumid in the middle, and clustered leaves, those under water cut into capillary segments. Calyx superior, four-parted; petals four; stamens four; ovary two celled, each cell with one pendulous ovule. Fruit hard, indehiscent, one-celled, one-seeded; seed large, without albumen; the cotyledons very unequal; the kernel of the fruit largely consists of pure starch. Known species, four. They are found in temperate Europe, Siberia, India, Cochin China, . Trapa natans has four spines on its fruit, and is large and black. It is the Tribulus of the Romans, and the nuts are sold in the markets of sin, as; expect, Xenophon, exist. ph = f. trapan IMG:content-1360.jpg:[graphic] Venice (where they are known as Jesuit's nuts) and other parts of Italy and in France. They are made into bread. T. bispinosa has only two spines or horns on its fruit. It is found in tanks and pools throughout India. Its nuts are dark-brown and triangular. Their kernel is white and sweetish, and is eaten, both raw and cooked, and made into cakes by the Hindus. Many of these plants grow on the Wular Lake, a large sheet of water, about forty miles in circumference, on the Upper Jhelum, in Cashmere, the old traveler, Moorcroft, declaring that the nuts from the lake furnish almost the sole support of 30,000 people for five months of the year. Moore croft and Dr. Royle say that under the gov ernment of Rungeet Singh, £12,000 of revenue was raised from the trap a, amounting to from 96,000 to 128,000 a -loads, taken from the lake. The natives consider the nuts as useful in bilious affections and diarrhea, besides applying them externally as poultices. The plant is called by the natives Sing hara -horned, referring to the fruit. Another le known East-Indian species is T. quad risp i nos a , introduced into Europe as a stove-plant in 1823. T. bicorn is, called by the Chinese Ling, or Linko, has the two horns recurved and very obtuse. It is cultivated by them in lakes, ponds, . tra-păn', v. t. [TREPAN, v.] To ensnare, to trap; to catch by stratagem. tra-păn', subst. [TRAPAN, v.] A snare, a trap, a stratagem. IMG:content-1361.png:[blocks in formation] trāpes, s. [TRAPE.] 1. A slattern; an idle, sluttish woman. 2. A going about; a tramp. trāpes, v. i. [TRAPES, subst.] To gad or flaunt about in a slatternly manner. "He would not be found trapesing about the constituency."-London Daily Chronicle.