Parsnip
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Parsnip
, river, CanadaParsnip, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, rising in central British Columbia, Canada, and flowing northwest to join the Finlay River at Williston Lake and form the Peace River. Explored by Sir Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, it became, with the Peace River, an important fur-trade route.
parsnip
, in botanyparsnip, garden plant (Pastinaca sativa) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), native to the Old World. It has been cultivated since Roman times for its long, fleshy, edible root. Wine and beer have also been made from it. The wild form has become naturalized in North America, often proving a noxious weed. Parsnip is a biennial but is cultivated as an annual. The root can be left in the ground all winter without deterioration. It is also used as livestock feed. Parsnip is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Apiales, family Umbelliferae.
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parsnip
[′pär·snəp] (botany)
Pastinaca sativa. A biennial herb of Mediterranean origin belonging to the order Umbellales; grown for its edible thickened taproot.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
parsnip
1. a strong-scented umbelliferous plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated for its long whitish root
2. any of several similar plants, esp the cow parsnip
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005