Part 41

=Ribs=, n. The bones that form the framework of the chest in the higher animals; the timbers that form the framework of a ship; the stiff fibres that form the framework of a leaf.

=Robinson Crusoe=, n. A story written by Daniel Defoe and published in 1719. The adventures of Robinson are said to have been suggested by the life of Alexander Selkirk, who was shipwrecked and lived for four years on the desert island of Juan Fernandez.

=Root=, n. The part of a plant that usually grows down into the soil, fixing the plant and absorbing nutriment.

=Root cap=, n. The hard cap which covers and protects the growing tip of a root.

=Root hairs=, n. The fine filaments growing from the skin of young roots that absorb the nutriment for plants.

=Rubythroat=, n. The name of the North American humming bird, so called because of the bright red feathers on its throat.

=Salamander=, n. A kind of lizard, formerly supposed to be able to live in the fire.

=Salt=, n. One of the most important substances in the world. It is necessary to the existence of animals and is one of the constituents of many plants.

=Sap=, n. The juice of plants. It is to them what the blood is to animals.

=Saturn=, n. In classical mythology, the father of Jupiter.

=Scales=, n. A.-S. scealu, a scale, husk; in botany, a small, rudimentary leaf, scale-like in form. Scales cover the leaf buds and sometimes the flower buds; they also constitute some bulbs.

=Scape=, n. L. scapus, shaft, stalk; the long, leafless peduncle which starts from the ground and bears flowers at the top, as in the hyacinth.

=Sceptre=, n. L. sceptrum, a staff to lean on; a sceptre; a staff of office; the staff of kingship.

=Secrete=, v. L. secernere, to separate; to form from the materials of the sap or the blood a new substance. The organ that secretes is called a gland.

=Secundus=, n. L. secundus, second; the name given in this book to a suppositional plant.

=Seed=, n. The fertilized and matured ovule of a flower.

=Seed-coat=, n. The outer covering to a seed.

=Seedlet=, n. A little seed.

=Sepal=, n. L. separ, separate; one of the separate leaves that form the calyx.

=Septimus=, n. L. septimus, seventh; the name given in this book to a suppositional plant.

=Sextus=, n. L. sextus, sixth; a name given in this book to a suppositional plant.

=Shrub=, n. A woody, branching plant, smaller than a tree.

=Silica=, n. L. silex, flint; a substance found very abundantly in the earth’s crust. It is very hard, and when melted forms glass; it is found in solution in some springs and is taken up by certain plants and deposited on or near the surface.

=Skin=, n. The outside covering of an animal or plant.

=Skin cells=, n. The cells of which the skin is made up.

=Snowdrop=, n. An early spring flower cultivated in gardens; it sometimes blossoms under the snow.

=Soda=, n. A compound of sodium, carbon, and oxygen; found in the composition of some plants.

=Sodium=, n. One of the elements of common salt, and also found in the tissues of plants and animals.