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tumbleweed
tumbleweed any of several plants, particularly abundant in prairie and steppe regions, that commonly break from their roots at maturity and, drying into a rounded tangle of light, stiff branches, roll before the wind, covering long distances and scattering seed as they go. The Russian thistle— Salsola pestifera, of the family Chenopodiaceae ( goosefoot family) and not a thistle—is one of the most frequent of the tumbleweeds. Naturalized from Asia, it has become a troublesome pest on Western prairies, although in drought years it may serve as forage in the spring before the spines form. Some other common tumbleweeds, such as Amaranthus albus or A. graecizans, are members of the family Amaranthaceae ( amaranth family), naturalized from tropical America and now common weed pests in Western agricultural fields. Others are the hedge mustards (species of Sisymbrium ) and several other plants of the goosefoot family, e.g., the winged pigweeds ( Cycloloma ) and the bugseeds ( Corispermum ). Tumbleweeds of the family Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae are classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Caryophyllales. |
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"tumbleweed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "tumbleweed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-tumblewe.html "tumbleweed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-tumblewe.html |
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tumbleweed
tum·ble·weed / ˈtəmbəlˌwēd/ • n. a plant of arid regions that breaks off near the ground in late summer, forming light globular masses that are tumbled about by the wind. Its two genera are Salsola of the goosefoot family and Amaranthus of the amaranth family. |
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"tumbleweed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "tumbleweed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-tumbleweed.html "tumbleweed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-tumbleweed.html |
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tumbleweed
tumbleweed Plant that characteristically breaks off near the ground in autumn and is rolled along by the wind. Height: to 51cm (20in). Family Amaranthaceae; genus Amaranthus.
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"tumbleweed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "tumbleweed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-tumbleweed.html "tumbleweed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-tumbleweed.html |
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tumbleweed
tumbleweed
•accede, bead, Bede, bleed, breed, cede, concede, creed, deed, Eid, exceed, feed, Gide, God speed, greed, he'd, heed, impede, interbreed, intercede, Jamshid, knead, lead, mead, Mede, meed, misdeed, mislead, misread, need, plead, proceed, read, rede, reed, Reid, retrocede, screed, secede, seed, she'd, speed, stampede, steed, succeed, supersede, Swede, tweed, weak-kneed, we'd, weed
•breastfeed • greenfeed • dripfeed
•chickenfeed • spoonfeed • nosebleed
•Nibelungenlied • invalid • Ganymede
•Runnymede • airspeed • millipede
•velocipede • centipede • Siegfried
•filigreed • copyread • crossbreed
•proofread • flaxseed • hayseed
•rapeseed • linseed • pumpkinseed
•aniseed • oilseed • birdseed • ragweed
•knapweed • seaweed • chickweed
•stinkweed • blanket weed • bindweed
•pondweed • duckweed • tumbleweed
•fireweed • waterweed • silverweed
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"tumbleweed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "tumbleweed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-tumbleweed.html "tumbleweed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-tumbleweed.html |
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