Kentucky coffee tree

Kentucky coffee tree
a tall North American tree, Gymnocladus dioica, of the legume family, the seeds of which (Kentucky coffee beans) were formerly used as a substitute for coffee beans.
[1775-85]

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▪ plant
 (species Gymnocladus dioica), plant of the pea family (Fabaceae), native in North American woods from New York and southern Ontario to Oklahoma. In colonial times the seeds of the tree were used for coffee.

      Sometimes cultivated as an ornamental, the tree grows to about 30 m (100 feet) tall. The bipinnate leaves are twice compound (i.e., the leaflets, in turn, bear leaflets). The greenish white flowers, about 1 cm (0.4 inch) long, are borne in large clusters. The fruit is a dark brown pod 5–25 cm (about 2–9 inches) long, containing lens-shaped seeds about 2.5 cm (1 inch) broad.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Kentucky coffee tree — Kentucky Ken*tuck y, prop. n. One of the United States. [1913 Webster] {Kentucky blue grass} (Bot.), a valuable pasture and meadow grass ({Poa pratensis}), found in both Europe and America. See under {Blue grass}. {Kentucky coffee tree} (Bot.), a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Kentucky coffee tree — ☆ Kentucky coffee tree n. a large tree (Gymnocladus dioica) of the caesalpinia family, with brown, curved pods containing seeds sometimes used as a substitute for coffee: it is native to the E U.S …   English World dictionary

  • Kentucky coffee tree — noun handsome tree of central and eastern North America having large bipinnate leaves and green white flowers followed by large woody brown pods whose seeds are used as a coffee substitute • Syn: ↑bonduc, ↑chicot, ↑Gymnocladus dioica • Hypernyms …   Useful english dictionary

  • Kentucky coffee-tree — kanadinis plikšakis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Cezalpinijinių šeimos dekoratyvinis nuodingas augalas (Gymnocladus dioicus), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Gymnocladus dioicus angl. Kentucky coffee tree; Kentucky… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Kentucky coffee-tree — plikšakis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Cezalpinijinių (Caesalpiniaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Gymnocladus). atitikmenys: lot. Gymnocladus angl. Kentucky coffee tree vok. Geweichbaum; Schusserbaum rus. бундук; гимнокладус lenk. kłek …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • Kentucky coffee tree — Kentuck′y cof′fee tree n. pln a tall tree of E North America, Gymnocladus dioica, of the legume family, having brown pods with seeds formerly used as a substitute for coffee • Etymology: 1775–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • Kentucky coffee tree — noun Date: 1785 a tall North American tree (Gymnocladus dioica) of the legume family with bipinnate leaves and large woody brown pods whose seeds have been used as a substitute for coffee …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • coffee tree — n. 1. any tree or shrub that produces coffee beans ☆ 2. KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE …   English World dictionary

  • Kentucky coffee beans — Kentucky coffee beans, the seeds of the Kentucky coffee tree, once used as a substitute for coffee beans …   Useful english dictionary

  • coffee tree — noun any of several small trees and shrubs native to the tropical Old World yielding coffee beans • Syn: ↑coffee • Hypernyms: ↑tree • Hyponyms: ↑Arabian coffee, ↑Coffea arabica, ↑Liberian coffee, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

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