Mesembryanthemum

2 definitions found

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

  Mesembryanthemum \Me*sem`bry*an"the*mum\, n. [NL., fr. Gr.
     meshmbri`a midday + 'a`nqos flower.] (Bot.)
     A genus of herbaceous or suffruticose plants, chiefly natives
     of South Africa. The leaves are opposite, thick, and fleshy.
     The flowers usually open about midday, whence the name.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Mesembryanthemum
       n : South African annual or biennial plants having flowers that
           open only in bright sunlight [syn: {genus
           Mesembryanthemum}]