china tree

China tree
    n 1: evergreen of tropical America having pulpy fruit containing
         saponin which was used as soap by Native Americans [syn:
         {China tree}, {false dogwood}, {jaboncillo}, {chinaberry},
         {Sapindus saponaria}]
    2: tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and
       small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern
       United States as a shade tree [syn: {chinaberry}, {chinaberry
       tree}, {China tree}, {Persian lilac}, {pride-of-India},
       {azederach}, {azedarach}, {Melia azederach}, {Melia
       azedarach}]
    

Azedarach \A*zed"a*rach\, azederach \azederach\, n. [F.
   az['e]darac, Sp. acederaque, Pers. [=a]z[=a]ddirakht noble
   tree.]
   1. (Bot.) a handsome tree ({Melia azedarach}) of the mahogany
      family, native to Northern India and China, having long
      clusters of fragrant purple blossoms and small ornamental
      but inedible yellow fruits. It has been naturalized as a
      shade tree and is common in the southern United States; --
      called also, {chinaberry}, {China tree}, {Pride of India},
      {Pride of China}, and {Bead tree}.

   Syn: chinaberry, chinaberry tree, China tree, Persian lilac,
        pride-of-India, azedarach, Melia azederach, Melia
        azedarach
        [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

   2. (Med.) The bark of the roots of the azedarach, used as a
      cathartic and emetic.
      [1913 Webster] Azerbaidzhan
    

China \Chi"na\, n.
   1. A country in Eastern Asia.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. China ware, which is the modern popular term for
      porcelain. See {Porcelain}.
      [1913 Webster]

   {China aster} (Bot.), a well-known garden flower and plant.
      See {Aster}.

   {China bean}. See under {Bean}, 1.

   {China clay} See {Kaolin}.

   {China grass}, Same as {Ramie}.

   {China ink}. See {India ink}.

   {China pink} (Bot.), an anual or biennial species of
      {Dianthus} ({Dianthus Chiensis}) having variously colored
      single or double flowers; Indian pink.

   {China root} (Med.), the rootstock of a species of {Smilax}
      ({Smilax China}, from the East Indies; -- formerly much
      esteemed for the purposes that sarsaparilla is now used
      for. Also the galanga root (from {Alpinia Gallanga} and
      {Alpinia officinarum}).

   {China rose}. (Bot.)
      (a) A popular name for several free-blooming varieties of
          rose derived from the {Rosa Indica}, and perhaps other
          species.
      (b) A flowering hothouse plant ({Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis})
          of the Mallow family, common in the gardens of China
          and the east Indies.

   {China shop}, a shop or store for the sale of China ware or
      of crockery.

   {Pride of China}, {China tree}. (Bot.) See {Azedarach}.
      [1913 Webster]