water chestnut

water chestnut
1. any aquatic plant of the genus Trapa, bearing an edible, nutlike fruit, esp. T. natans, of the Old World.
2. the fruit itself. Also called water caltrop.
[1850-55]

* * *

Any of several perennial water plants of the genus Trapa (family Trapaceae), native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, or their edible, nutlike fruit.

The water caltrop (T. natans) has two sets of leaves
long, feathery, rootlike, submerged leaves and a loose rosette of floating leaves attached to leafstalks 2–4 in (5–10 cm) long. The small fruit usually has four spiny angles. The Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis tuberosus or E. dulcis) is a member of the sedge family.

* * *

plant
      any of several perennial water plants of the genus Trapa (family Trapaceae, order Myrtales), native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. The name is also applied to their edible, nutlike fruit.

      The water caltrop (T. natans) has submerged leaves that are long, feathery, and rootlike, and floating leaves, in a loose rosette, that are attached to petioles, or leafstalks, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) long. The fruit is 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter and usually has four spiny angles.

      T. bispinosa, sometimes called Singhara nut, is native to India. The floating leaves, about 5 to 8 cm long, have hairy petioles 10 to 15 cm in length. The fruit is about 2 cm in diameter. T. bicornis, the ling nut, is cultivated in most of East Asia.

      The Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis tuberosus) is a member of the sedge family (Cyperaceae).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • water chestnut — n. ☆ 1. a) a Chinese sedge (Eleocharis dulcis) with erect, cylindrical leaves, growing in dense clumps in water b) the large, button shaped, submerged tubers of this plant, used in Chinese cooking 2. a floating aquatic weed (Trapa natans) of the… …   English World dictionary

  • Water chestnut — Wa ter chest nut (Bot.) The fruit of {Trapa natans} and {Trapa bicornis}, Old World water plants bearing edible nutlike fruits armed with several hard and sharp points; also, the plant itself; called also {water caltrop}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • water chestnut — water .chestnut n the thick stem of a plant that grows in water, used in Chinese cooking …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • water chestnut — water chestnuts N COUNT A water chestnut is the thick bottom part of the stem of a plant which grows in China. It is used in Chinese cookery …   English dictionary

  • water-chestnut — [wôt′ərches′nət] adj. designating a family (Trapaceae, order Myrtales) of floating, aquatic dicotyledonous plants * * * …   Universalium

  • water chestnut — water ,chestnut noun count a small hard white vegetable, often used in Asian cooking …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • water chestnut — ► NOUN ▪ the crisp, white fleshed tuber of a tropical aquatic sedge, used in oriental cookery …   English terms dictionary

  • water-chestnut — [wôt′ərches′nət] adj. designating a family (Trapaceae, order Myrtales) of floating, aquatic dicotyledonous plants …   English World dictionary

  • water chestnut — noun 1. a plant of the genus Trapa bearing spiny four pronged edible nutlike fruits • Syn: ↑water chestnut plant, ↑caltrop • Hypernyms: ↑aquatic plant, ↑water plant, ↑hydrophyte, ↑hydrophytic plant …   Useful english dictionary

  • water chestnut — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms water chestnut : singular water chestnut plural water chestnuts a small hard white vegetable, often used in Asian cooking …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”