noun
genus of tropical herbs or subshrubs having sensitive leaves and suddenly dehiscing pods; some species placed in genus Cassia
• Syn: ↑genus Chamaecrista
• Hypernyms: ↑rosid dicot genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Caesalpinioideae, ↑subfamily Caesalpinioideae
• Member Meronyms: ↑partridge pea, ↑sensitive pea, ↑wild sensitive plant, ↑Chamaecrista fasciculata, ↑Cassia fasciculata
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\\ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈkristə\ nounUsage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from chamae- + crista (from crista pavonis, literally, peacock's crest, the pre-Linnaean name of a certain plant of the family Leguminosae) — more at crest
in some classifications : a genus of herbs or low shrubs characterized by sensitive leaves and suddenly and forcibly dehiscing pods, now included in the genus Cassia
Useful english dictionary. 2012.