aspidistra

aspidistra
/as'pi dis"treuh/, n.
any of several plants belonging to the genus Aspidistra, of the lily family, native to eastern Asia, esp. A. eliator, having large evergreen leaves often striped with white, and grown as a houseplant. Also called barroom plant, cast-iron plant, iron plant.
[1815-25; < NL, equiv. to aspid- ( < Gk: s. of aspís shield) + -istra, extracted from Tupistra genus of liliaceous plants < Gk typís mallet + L -tra pl. of -trum n. suffix denoting instrument]

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Any plant of the genus Aspidistra (lily family), native to eastern Asia and known for ornamental foliage.

The only cultivated species is a houseplant commonly known as cast-iron plant (A. elatior, or A. lurida), which has long, stiff, pointed evergreen leaves that are capable of withstanding temperature extremes, dust, smoke, and other harsh conditions. The solitary, bell-shaped flowers, which are usually lilac in colour but sometimes brown or green, are borne at the base of the plant. The fruits are small berries.

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▪ plant genus
      genus of ornamental foliage plants in the family Ruscaceae, native to eastern Asia. The only cultivated species is a houseplant commonly known as cast-iron plant (A. elatior, or A. lurida). The cast-iron plant has long, stiff, pointed evergreen leaves that are capable of withstanding temperature extremes, dust, smoke, and other harsh conditions. The solitary, bell-shaped flowers, which are usually lilac in colour but sometimes brown or green, are borne at the base of the plant. The fruits of Aspidistra are small berries.

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  • Aspidistra — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Aspidistra (homonymie) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • aspidistra — [ aspidistra ] n. m. • 1845; du gr. aspis, idos « bouclier » et d apr. (tup)istra, nom d une plante ♦ Plante verte d appartement (liliacées), à larges feuilles lancéolées, persistantes, d un vert foncé luisant, ou panachées dans certaines… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Aspidistra — statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pakalnutinių (Convallariaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Aspidistra). atitikmenys: lot. Aspidistra angl. aspidistra vok. Schildblume; Schusterpalme rus. аспидистра lenk. aspidistra; żelazne …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • aspidistra — statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pakalnutinių (Convallariaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Aspidistra). atitikmenys: lot. Aspidistra angl. aspidistra vok. Schildblume; Schusterpalme rus. аспидистра lenk. aspidistra; żelazne …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • aspidistra — n. 1. 1 an evergreen perennial ({Aspidistra elatio}) with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant. Syn: cast iron plant, bar room plant [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aspidistra — aspidìstra ž DEFINICIJA bot. istočnoazijski biljni rod iz porodice ljiljana (Liliaceae), npr. sobna ukrasna biljka (Aspidistra elatior) ETIMOLOGIJA nlat. aspidistra ≃ grč. aspís …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • aspidistra — ASPIDÍSTRA s. f. plantă de apartament cu frunze late, lucioase, de culoare verde închis, din familia liliacee. (< fr., lat. aspidistra) Trimis de raduborza, 15.09.2007. Sursa: MDN …   Dicționar Român

  • aspidistra — (Del lat. cient. aspidistra, formado a partir del gr. ἀσπίς, escudo). f. Planta de la familia de las Liliáceas, acaule, con hojas persistentes, grandes, de tres a cuatro decímetros de longitud y ocho a diez centímetros de ancho, verdinegras,… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • aspidistra — [as΄pi dis′trə] n. [ModL < Gr aspis, a shield + astron, a star: see ASTRAL] any of a genus (Aspidistra) of plants of the lily family, with dark, inconspicuous flowers and stiff, glossy, evergreen leaves: cultivated as a house plant …   English World dictionary

  • Aspidistra — Gaul., Gattung der Liliazeen, Gewächse mit auf der Erde aufliegendem Rhizom, großen, gestielten, lanzettlichen, langdauernden Blättern, einzelnen, z. T. im Boden steckenden Blüten und großen, fleischigen Beeren. Drei Arten im östlichen Asien, von …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Aspidistra — Aspidistra, Pflanzengattg., s. Plectogyne …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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