Lilies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lily \Lil"y\ (l[i^]l"[y^]), n.; pl. {Lilies} (l[i^]l"[i^]z).
     [AS. lilie, L. lilium, Gr. lei`rion. Cf. {Flower-de-luce}.]
     1. (Bot.) A plant and flower of the genus {Lilium},
        endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of
        six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior
        three-celled ovary.


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     Note: There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North
           Temperate zone. {Lilium candidum} and {Lilium
           longiflorum} are the common white lilies of gardens;
           {Lilium Philadelphicum} is the wild red lily of the
           Atlantic States. {Lilium Chalcedonicum} is supposed to
           be the "lily of the field" in our Lord's parable;
           {Lilium auratum} is the great gold-banded lily of
           Japan.
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     2. (Bot.) A name given to handsome flowering plants of
        several genera, having some resemblance in color or form
        to a true lily, as {Pancratium}, {Crinum}, {Amaryllis},
        {Nerine}, etc.
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     3. That end of a compass needle which should point to the
        north; -- so called as often ornamented with the figure of
        a lily or fleur-de-lis.
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              But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.
                                                    --Sir T.
                                                    Browne.
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     4. (Auction Bridge) A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See
        {Royal spade}, below.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {African lily} (Bot.), the blue-flowered {Agapanthus
        umbellatus}.
  
     {Atamasco lily} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Zephyranthes}
        ({Zephyranthes Atamasco}), having a white and pink
        funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions
        resembling those of a lily. --Gray.
  
     {Blackberry lily} (Bot.), the {Pardanthus Chinensis}, the
        black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry.
        
  
     {Bourbon lily} (Bot.), {Lilium candidum}. See Illust.
  
     {Butterfly lily}. (Bot.) Same as {Mariposa lily}, in the
        Vocabulary.
  
     {Lily beetle} (Zool.), a European beetle ({Crioceris
        merdigera}) which feeds upon the white lily.
  
     {Lily daffodil} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Narcissus}, and
        its flower.
  
     {Lily encrinite} (Paleon.), a fossil encrinite, esp.
        {Encrinus liliiformis}. See {Encrinite}.
  
     {Lily hyacinth} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Hyacinthus}.
  
     {Lily iron}, a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of
        peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish.
  
     {Lily of the valley} (Bot.), a low perennial herb
        ({Convallaria majalis}), having a raceme of nodding,
        fragrant, white flowers.
  
     {Lily pad}, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U.
        S.] --Lowell.
  
     {Tiger lily} (Bot.), {Lilium tigrinum}, the sepals of which
        are blotched with black.
  
     {Turk's-cap lily} (Bot.) {Lilium Martagon}, a red lily with
        recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, {Lilium
        superbum}.
  
     {Water lily} (Bot.), the {Nymph[ae]a}, a plant with floating
        roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals,
        usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow.
        [See Illust. of {Nymph[ae]a}.]
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