Cocklebur

Definitions

Any of the coarse composite weeds of the genus Xanthium, with a prickly fruit.

Equivalents

Examples

“Fig. 1.—Spiculated pollens of ragweeds (ambrosias) low in protein. […] In the cocklebur (Xanthium americanum) and the rough wild elder (Iva ciliata), the spicules are shorter, being 0.7 and 0.5 microns, and the reaction is proportionately less active than with the ragweeds (ambrosias). […] While the grass pollens have⟳ so light⟳ a coat that they are frequently crushed in the ordinary process⟳ of mounting, the ragweed (ambrosias) pollen grains resist⟳ pressure between two glass slides carried to the point⟳ of crushing the glass.”

“These burrs stuck to the tails of the cows as they walked by, and were brought to the cowpen, the cowtails greatly enlarged by the huge amount of cockleburs stuck on them.”

CEFR level