bear grass

bear grass

or bear·grass (bâr′grăs′)

n.

1. A western North American perennial herb (Xerophyllum tenax) having a dense clump of basal grasslike leaves and a tall stalk bearing a terminal raceme of small whitish flowers.

2. Any of several similar North American plants, especially species of the genera Nolina and Yucca.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bear′ grass`

or bear′grass`,

n.

1. a tall W North American plant, Xerophyllum tenax, of the lily family, having grasslike foliage.

2. any of several plants of the agave family, having linear, grasslike leaves, as those of the genera Nolina and Dasylirion.

[1740–50, Amer.]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	bear grass - yucca of southern United States having a clump of basal grasslike leaves and a central stalk with a terminal raceme of small whitish flowers Yucca smalliana yucca - any of several evergreen plants of the genus Yucca having usually tall stout stems and a terminal cluster of white flowers; warmer regions of North America
	2.	bear grass - yucca of west central United States having a clump of basal grasslike leaves and a central stalk with a terminal raceme of small whitish flowers Yucca glauca yucca - any of several evergreen plants of the genus Yucca having usually tall stout stems and a terminal cluster of white flowers; warmer regions of North America
	3.	bear grass - stemless plant with tufts of grasslike leaves and erect panicle of minute creamy white flowers; southwestern United States and Mexico Nolina microcarpa agave, American aloe, century plant - tropical American plants with basal rosettes of fibrous sword-shaped leaves and flowers in tall spikes; some cultivated for ornament or for fiber genus Nolina, Nolina - perennial plants resembling yucca; found in southern United States and Mexico
	4.	bear grass - plant of western North America having woody rhizomes and tufts of stiff grasslike basal leaves and spikes of creamy white flowers squaw grass, Xerophyllum tenax liliaceous plant - plant growing from a bulb or corm or rhizome or tuber genus Xerophyllum, Xerophyllum - small genus of North American herbs having grasslike basal leaves: squaw grass; sometimes placed in family Melanthiaceae

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.