Animals And Plants (T-Z)


Taenia
Taenia is a
cestoda.

Taipan
The taipan is a type of small headed
cobra.

Talbot
The talbot was a large, whitish
hound with long hanging ears and heavy jaws bred for tacking and hunting. It is believed that the talbot was the forerunner of the modern bloodhound.

Tamaricaceae
Tamaricaceae is a small natural order of polypetalous exogens. The
species are either herbs or shrubs, inhabiting chiefly the basin of the Mediterranean. They have minute alternate simple leaves and usually small white or pink flowers in terminal spikes.

Tamarin
The tamarin are South American
monkeys. They are active and restless.

Tamarind
Tamarind is an
evergreen tree of the leguminosae family.

Tamarisk
The Tamarisk is a
plant of the genus Tamarix. It is a graceful evergreen shrub or small tree with slender feathery branches and minute leaves found in sandy places.

Tanacetum
see "
Tansy"

Tanaidacea
Tanaidacea is a
marine order of malacostraca with a reduced carapace and a short abdomen.

Tangerine
The tangerine is a small, flattened, deep-coloured, swett-scented variety of
orange from Tangier.

Tangle
Tangle is a popular name for Laminaria digitata, a common British sea-weed.

Tank-worm
The tank-worm is a
nematode worm found in mud in water tanks in India.

Tanrec
Tanrec (Centetes) is a
genus of insectivorous mammals resembling the European hedgehog in appearance. They are found in Madagascar where they live in burrows excavated with their strong claws.

Tansy
Tansy (Tanacetum) is a
genus of plants of the order Compositae. They have yellow corymbose flowers.

Tantalus
Tantalus is a
genus of wading birds of the heron family.

Tapir
Tapir is the name of ungulate or
hoofed animals forming the family Tapiridae. The nose resembles a short fleshy proboscis. There are four toes to the fore-feet and three to the hind-feet.

Tapiridae
see "
Tapir"

Tara Fern
The
Tara Fern is a species of fern found in New Zealand. The Maoris obtained a flour from its root which formed a staple part of their diet prior to British settlement.

Tarantula
The tarantula is a large black south
European spider of the genus Lycosa with a slighly poisonous bite. The term is also popularly applied to various other large, especially hairy spiders from Africa and America.

Tare
Tare is the popular name for
plants of the genus Vicia.

Taro
Taro is a
plant of the arum family cultivated in Pacific islands for its starchy, edible root.

Tarpan
The tarpan is a
breed of wild horse found in Asia.

Tarpon
The tarpon is a large silvery
marine fish found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic.

Tarragon
Tarragon is a
perennial herb of the daisy family.

Tarsier
The tarsier (
Tarsius) is a genus of mammals of the lemur family. It is about the size of a squirrel, fawn brown in colour with large eyes, large ears and a long tufted tail. The tarsier is a tree dwelling animal and eats lizards.

Tarsius
see "
Tarsie"

Tasmanian wolf
see "
Thylacine"

Tasmannia
Tasmannia is a
genus of one Tasmanian and two Australian shrubs of the natural order Magnoliaceae.

Tatouay
The tatouay is a kind of
armadillo remarkable for the undefended state of its tail which is devoid of the bony rings that inclose it in other armadillos.

Tautog
The tautog (Tautoga nigra) is an
American fish found on the coast of New England and valued as a food.

Taxaceae
Taxaceae is a sub order of
Coniferae which includes the Yew tree.

Taxodium
Taxodium is a
genus of plants of the order Coniferae. It includes the cypresses.

Taxus
see "
Yew"

Tayra
The tayra (Galera barbara) is a South American
carnivorous animal allied to the glutton. It is black in colour with a large white patch on the breast.

Tea
Tea is an
evergreen rosaceae. The infusion of the dried leaves is a popular beverage. It was introduced to England during the 17th century.

Teak
Teak (Tectona grandis) is a tropical Asian
timber tree of the order Verbenaceae.

Teal
The teal is a small British
duck of the genus Querquedula.

Teasel
The teasel is a
plant of the genus Dipsacus. It is a herb with prickly leaves and flower heads.

Tecoma
Tecoma is a
genus of plants of the natural order Bignoniaceae. They are trees or shrubs or climbing plants with unequally pinnate or digitate simple leaves, and terminal panicles of dusky red or orange flowers.

Tectibranchiata
Tectibranchiata is a division of gasteropodous
mollusca with gills protected by the shell or the mantle, as with the sea-hare.

Teff
Teff (Eragrostis abyssinica) is a
grain with seeds about the size of those of millet.

Teguexin
The teguexin is a
species of lizard inhabiting tropical America. They grow to around 150cm long and can swim with ease and rapidity.

Teledu
The teledu is a stinking
badger found in Java and Sumatra.

Teleostei
Teleostei is a large sub-class of
fish distinguished by a bony skeleton.

Telosporidia
Telosporidia are a subclass of
sporozoa. They have a trophic stage which is distinct from the reproductive phase.

Temnodon
see "
Blue-fish"

Tench
The tench (Tinca tinca) is a
freshwater fish of the carp family.

Tenebrio
Tenebrio is a
genus of beetles.

Tenuirostres
Tenuirostres (slender-beaked) is a section of the Insessores order of
birds containing those species with a long slender, tapering beak.

Terebratula
Terebratula is a deep-sea
genus of phylum brachiopoda.

Termite
Termites are a social
insect of the order Isoptera. They are chiefly found in tropical climates and are very destructive to timber.

Tern
The tern is a sea
bird, especially those of the genus Sterna. They resemble a gull, but are usualy smaller and with a more slender body. Terns have long, pointer wings and a forked tail giving rise to their alternative name of the sea-swallow.

Ternstroemiaceae
Ternstroemiaceae is a natural order of polypetalous dicotyledonous
plants consisting of trees or shrubs with alternate simple usually coriacerous leaves without stipules. The flowers are generally white, arranged in axillary or terminal peduncles, articulated at the base.

Terrapin
The terrapin is a
freshwater tortoise.

Testes
The testes are the male
gonads.

Tetradactyl
Tetradactyl is a term applied to any
animal or bird with 4 fingers or toes.

Tetraonidae
see "
Grouse"

Tetrapod
Tetrapod is the family of four legged
vertebrates. It includes birds because wings developed from legs.

Thalamophora
The thalamophora are an order of
rhizopoda. They are amoeboid forms protected by a shell. There are apertures in the shell through which the pseudopodia extend.

Thallophyte
A thallophyte is a
plant with a thallus body, such as seaweed or liverwort.

Thallus
A thallus is the body of a primitive
plant which is not divided into leaves, stem and roots but consists of a more or less uniform tissue.

Theropithecus
see "
Gelad"

Thistle
The thistle (Carduus) is a
genus of plants of the order Compositae.

Thorn-apple
see "
Datura"

Thrasher
The thrasher is a
species of shark (Alopias vulpinus) which has a very long upper division of its tail which it uses to thrash its prey or attackers.

Thrift
see "
Armeria"

Thrips
Thrips are minute
insects with 4 hair-fringed wings of the order Thysanoptera. Many of the species injure plants by feeding upon their juices.

Thrush
The thrush is a
bird of the turdidae family.

Thylacine
The thylacine (Tasmanian
wolf, Thylacinus cynocephalus) is a carnivorous marsupial resembling a dog in appearance, greyish-brown with conspicuous black markings on the hinder half of the back.

Thyme
Thyme (
Thymus) is a genus of herbs of the Labiatae family.

Thymus
see "
Thyme"

Thysanozoon
Thysanozoon is a member of the order
polycladida.

Thysanura
Thysanura is an order of
apterygota.

Tick
see "
acarina"

Tiger
The tiger is a large asian wild
cat. It is maneless, of tawny-yellow colour with blackish transverse stripes and a white belly.

Tigress
A tigress is a female
tiger.

Tile-fish
The tile-fish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) is a large, deep-water, yellow-spotted
fish found off the coast of New England. It is apparently good to eat.

Tiliaceae
Tiliaceae is a natural order of
plants.

Tinamou
The tinamou is a South American
bird of the family Tinamidae. It resembles the grouse but is actualy related to the rhea.

Tinamous
The Tinamous are a unique group of
birds. They are about the size of a fowl with a small head and slender neck.

Tit
see "
Paridae"

Titmice
see "
Paridae"

Toad
The toad is a tailless leaping
amphibian similar to the frog, but terrestial in habits except at the breeding season.

Toads
see "
toad"

Tobacco
Tobacco is a large leaved
solanaceae plant of the genus Nicotiana.

Todies
see "
Todus"

Todus
Todus (Todies) are a
genus and family of minute red and green insectivorous picarian birds found in the West Indies.

Tody
The tody is a small
insectivorous West Indian bird of the genus Todus, allied to the kingfisher.

Tomato
The tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) is a South American annual
plant of the order Solanaceae. It produces a round red fruit which is treated like a vegetable.

Tonka
The tonka is a large South American
tree (Dipteryx odorata). The seeds, known as tonka beans, are black fragrant and almond-shaped and are used for scenting tobacco and perfume.

Tope
The tope (Galeorhinus galeus) is a small
european shark.

Tortoise
The tortoise is a
chelonia.

Totara
The totara is a
tree found in New Zealand and Chile.

Toucan
The toucan is a family of picarian
birds found in South and Central America forests. They possess brilliant plumage and enormously large, saw-edged bills. Toucans live in societies and are esteemed by the natives for food.

Toxodon
The toxodon was a large three-toed ungulate
mammal as tall and heavily built as a rhinocerous, which lived in South America in late Tertiary times.

Trachea
The trachea is a
pipe leading to the lung chamber.

Trachinus
see "
Weever fish"

Trachylina
Trachylina is an order of
hydrozoa. They are mainly marine forms in which the medusoid stage is represented, and the hydroid stage is reduced or absent.

Tragopan
The tragopan is an asiatic
pheasant of the genus Tragopan. The male has erectile fleshy horns on his head leading to its alternative name of the horned pheasant.

Trapa
Trapa is a
genus of plants of the order Onagrariaceae. Their nuts are often consumed as food.

Tree
A tree is a
perennial plant with a self supporting woody main stem.

Trees
see "
Tree"

Trefoil
see "
Clover"

Trematoda
Trematoda is a class of
phylum platyhelminthes. They are the fluke worms. Parasitic flat worms with a leaf-like body. The mesenchyme secretes a tough cuticle and cilia are lacking in the adults. Hooks and/or suckers are often present.

Trematode
A trematode is any member of the
Trematoda.

Triceratops
The triceratops was a
dinosaur with three horns on its head.

Tricladida
Tricladida is an order of
turbellaria with an intestine having three main branches. The sense organs are frequently well developed.

Trifolium
see "
Clover"

Trigger-fish
see "
File-fish"

Trout
The trout is a
fish native to the northern hemisphere.

Truffle
Truffle is a subterranean fungus.

Trumpeter
The Trumpeters are a family of South American
birds related to the seriema, the cranes and the rails. They are so named from their loud trumpet-like cry. The body is about the size of a fowl's, but the legs are long and crane-like, and the beak short. They nest on the ground and feed on insects, seeds and fruits.

Trypanosome
Trypanosome is a parasite of the
genus Trypanosoma. It is a flagellate protozoa which infects the blood of man and other animals often causing disease, including sleeping-sickness.

Tsetse
The tsetse is a fly found in
Africa that carries the Trypanosome parasite which causes sleeping sickness.

Tsetse-fly
see "
Tsetse"

Tuatara
The tuatara is a survivor of the group of prehistoric
reptiles to which the dinosaurs belonged. It is found only in a few islands of New Zealand. It lays 10-14 eggs which it buries in the ground. A fully grown tuatara is about 24 inches long. The tuatara is carnivorous.

Tuatera
The tuatera is a large lizard-like
reptile found only in New Zealand, and forming the distinct order Rhynchocephalia, in which the skull and skeleton are more like those of the crocodile than a lizard.

Tubifex
The tubifex are
oligochaeta.

Tubularia
Tubularia is a member of the order of
gymnoblastea.

Tulip
The tulip is a
genus of flowering plants of the order Liliaceae. One species, the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) is native to Britain. It is a bulbous plant, attaining a height of about 30cm, with very narrow leaves and a solitary large fragrant flower.

Tulip Tree
The
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron) is a tree of the order Magnoliaceae, introduced into Britain from North America towards the close of the 17th century. It may grow to a height of nearly 30 meters and in summer develops beautiful large, green, orange or lemon-coloured flowers resembling tulips.

Tuna
The tuna is a
fish of the mackerel family.

Tunny
The tunny is a
fish of the mackerel family, also called tuna it can reach 14ft in length.

Tupelo
The tupelo are large
American trees of the genus Nyssa found growing in swamps and on river banks in the sourthern USA.

Turaco
The turaco is a long-tailed crested
African bird of the genus Tauraco.

Turbellaria
Turbellaria is a class of free-living
flatworms. They live in water and damp conditions. The epidermis is glandular, ciliated and has a thin cuticle.

Turbot
The turbot is a flat
fish found in the mediterranean and north sea.

Turdus merula
see "
Blackbird"

Turkey Buzzard
The
Turkey Buzzard is a small, black species of American vulture.

Turmeric
Turmeric is a
perennial plant of the ginger family.

Turnip
The turnip is a
biennial cruciferous plant with a fleshy globular or spheroidal root, toothed leaves, and yellow flowers. The root of the turnip is used as a vegetable and also fed to cattle and sheep.

Turnstone
The turnstone is a
bird of the plover family, found nearly all over the world. It is about the size of a snipe, but has shorter legs and bill, and takes its name from the habit of turning over stones on the sea shore in search of small crustaceans which it eats.

Turtle
The turtle is an aquatic
chelonia.

Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus rex was a
carnivorous dinosaur from the cretaceous period. It was the largest of all the carnivorous dinosaurs. It was so big it could have eaten a human in one or two bites.

Uakari
The uakari is a
monkey found in South America.

Uca
see "
Fiddler Crab"

Umbelliferae
The umbelliferae is a family of
plants which generally have flowers in regular compound umbells and fistular furrowal stems.

Upas
The upas (Antiaris toxicaria) is a
tree of the order Urticaceae, allied to the fig, hop and nettle, found in Java and exuding a milky white juice called antiarin.

Urd
Urd (
Gram, Black gram, Vigna mungo) is a plant of the order Leguminosae cultivated in trpoical Asia for its edible seeds and as forage.

Urochordata
Urochordata is a class of
sub-phylum acrania. They are the sea squirts. They are ciliary-feeding marine animals.

Urodela
The urodela are a subclass of
amphibia. They are the newts and salamanders. The tail persists throughout life. The fore and hind limbs are poorly developed.

Urticaceae
Urticaceaeis a natural order of exogenous
trees, herbs and shrubs. This is the nettle family, with stinging hairs.

Vaccinium
Vaccinium is a
genus of mostly hardy shrubs belonging to the order Vacciniaceae. They bear globose berries which are often edible and of comercial value. Species include the bilberry and cranberry.

Vaccinium myrtillus
see "
Bilberry"

Valerian
Valerian is the Valeriana
genus of plants of the order Valerianaceae having small fragrant flowers of white, purple or pink. The root was formerly used in medicine as a nerve sedative and antispasmodic.

Valeriana
see "
Valerian"

Valerianaceae
Valerianaceae is the
valerian family of plants. They are herbaceous plants and shrubs having simple or compound, opposite leaves, clusters of small flowers, and dry, indehiscent fruit.

Vallisneria
Vallisneria is a
genus of half-hardy, aquatic, submerged plants belonging to the order Hydrocharidaceae. There is only one species, eel grass, which is grown in aquariums.

Vampire Bat
The
Vampire Bat (Phyllostomatidae) is a large family of about 150 species of bat distinguished by a well developed "leaf" above the nose, or by skin folds or warts beneath the chin. The middle finger of the wing has three joints. Vampire Bats are confined to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world where they live in forest areas feeding on fruit and insects, although two species, Desmodus and Diphylla are blood sucking.

Vanilla
Vanilla is a
genus of climbing orchids.

Vegetable oyster
see "
Salsify"

Velella
Velella is a member of the order of
siphonophora.

Vellozia
Vellozia is a
genus of tropical woody-stem plants of the order Amaryllidaceae. They are mostly natives of South Africa and Brazil. The leaves grow in clusters at the tips of the branches and bear showy campanulate single flowers.

Ventricle
A ventricle is a chamber of the
heart which despatches blood.

Venus Fly-trap
The
Venus Fly-trap is a plant of the genus Dionoea. It is native to the sandy savannas of Carolina and Florida. The leaves have a dilated petiole and a slightly stalked 2-lobed lamina, with three short stiff bristles on each lobe. The bristles are remarkably irritable and when touched by a fly or other insect the lobes of the leaf suddenly close on the insect. The insect is then digested.

Verbena
Verbena is a
genus of plants, mostly American, several species of which possess handsome and sweet-scented flowers.

Vertebrate
see "
sub-phylum craniata"

Vertebrates
see "
vertebrate"

Vervain
Vervain (
Verbena officinalis) is a native British plant of the genus Verbena.

Vesper Sparrow
The
Vesper sparrow (bay-winged bunting, Pooecetes gramineus) is a bird of the family Fringillidae.

Viburnum
Viburnum is a
genus of hardy shrubs belonging to the order Caprifoliaceae. They bear corymbs or panicles of white or pink flowers.

Vicia
Vicia is a
genus of leguminous plants extensively cultivated as food for cattle and horses.

Vicuna
The vicuna is a
species of wild llama, a ruminant mammal of the camel family found in the Andes. Unlike the other wild species, the huanaco, the face is fawn-coloured.

Vigna Mungo
see "
Urd"

Viper
The viper is a family of venomous snakes. They are characterized by venom-conducting fangs which hinge forward when the
snake bites.

Virginia creeper
The
virginia creeper (Vitis quinquefolia) is a climbing plant of the order Vitaceae, akin to the vine, with large lobbed leaves which acquire a beautiful red colour in the autumn, tendrils by which it climbs and which give off short branches ending in adhesive suckers for clinging to walls or trees, and clusters of green flowers like those of the vine. It is native to North America and was introduced into Britain.

Virginia Deer
The
Virginia Deer is a North American species of deer about the size of a fallow-deer, but with large antlers curving forwards over the face. The coat is brown in winter, and paler with white spots in summer. The underside of the tail is white from whence it derives its American name the white-tailed deer.

Visceral skeleton
The visceral
skeleton is the bones comprising the jaws and their allied structures.

Viverridae
see "
Civet"

Vole
The vole is a
rodent of the cricetidae family.

Vorticella
Vorticella is a member of the order of
peritricha.

Vulture
The vulture is a carrion eating
bird.

Wagtail
see "
Motacilla"

Wake-robin
see "
Green-dragon"

Wallaby
Wallaby is the name of several small members of the
kangaroo family.

Walnut
The walnut (Juglans regia) is a
tree of the order Juglandaceae. It was introduced into Britain from Asia in the 15th century. It is a spreading tree and grows to a height of around 15 meters with a short bole which may grow to 6 meters in circumferance and is covered with rugged grey bark. It bears fruit similar to a plum, the stone of which is eaten and the timber is light but tough and makes attractive furniture.

Walrus
The walrus is a
marine mammal similar to the seal found in the arctic.

Wapiti
The wapiti is a
deer closely allied to the red deer, but much larger and of different colour. The body is fawn coloured with the head and limbs brown. The wapiti stands 1.5 meters at the shoulder.

Waratah
Waratah is a shrub of the order Proteaceae, characterised by
brilliant crimson tubular flowers borne in dense globular clusters at the end of sprays of long oval, oak-like leaves.

Warbler
The warbler is a family of song
birds.

Wart hog
The wart hog is a type of wild
pig found in Africa.

Wasp
The wasp is a stinging
insect of the order hymenoptera.

Water Deer
The
water deer is a small, hornless, ruminant, armed with long tusks and coloured dark brown with white stripes. It is found in west Africa.

Water Lily
Water Lily is a general name for the aquatic plants of the order Nymphaeaceae, of which there are about 60 species distributed through temperate and tropical countries. They are all perennial, and most have large floating leaves and flowers.

Water-Boatman
The water-boatman is an
insect of the order Hemiptera found in fresh water ponds, and having oar-like legs for swimming.

Water-Buck
The water-buck is a large
antelope about the size of a donkey, found usually in swampy places in east and south Africa. It is mainly brown in colour and has long, strongly ribbed horns in the male only.

Water-pepper
Water-pepper is a
plant of the Polygonaceae family. It grows to between 20 and 70 cm tall and has sparingly branched ascending stems. The leaves are lanceolate and irritate the skin when touched.

Water-Plantain
Water-Plantain (Alisma) is a name for several
species of the order Alismaceae, aquatic and sometimes floating, with long-stalked, often large leaves.

Water-rat
The water-rat is the largest of the British voles, about the size of a common
rat. It lives in burrows in the banks of streams and feeds on green food and roots.

Water-scorpion
The water-scorpion is an
insect of the order Hemiptera, which lives in fresh-water ponds and preys upon other insects.

Waterbuck
The waterbuck is an
antelope found in Africa. It has a characteristic white ring marKing in its rump.

Watercress
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a
perennial aquatic plant of the order Cruciferae, related to the wallflower and widely cultivated as a salad. It is abundant in small streams, and roots in the mud at the bottom. From the creeping stems arise alternate leaves divided into a varying number of pairs of leaflets. The flowers are small and white and clustered together.

Wax palm
The
wax palm (Ceroxylon andicola) is a tree of the order Palmae, found in Colombia, which attains a height of around 15 meters. It is crowned with large spreading leaves which may be 3 meters in length and resemble gigantic feathers. The trunk is lined with a resinous wax.

Waxbill
The waxbill is a small
seed eating bird found in Africa.

Weasel
The weasel is a
carnivorous mammal of the family mustelidae. It feeds mainly on voles, rats and mice.

Weever fish
The Weever
fish (Trachinus) is a genus of small European marine fish. They have highly poisonous dorsal spines.

Wensleydale
see "
Yorkshire Leicester"

Whale
A whale is a large
marine mammal of the order cetacea.

Whelk
The whelk is a
marine gastropod with a thick spiral shell.

Whimbrel
The whimbrel is a
bird of the plover group, closely related to and resembling the curlew, but considerably smaller and breeding in Great Britain in the Orkneys and Shetland.

Whin
see "
Gorse"

Whip snake
The whip
snake is an oriental arboreal snake so called because of its long, thin body.

Whip-scorpion
The whip-scorpion is a group of
arachnida of the order Pedipalpi, resembling the spider in having a narrow wait between the fore-part and the abdomen, but differing in having no silk glands. The second pair of limbs are modified as powerful grasping organs armed with spines for impaling their prey and the first pair of legs are turned into antenna-like feelers, resembling long whips in some kinds.

Whippet
The whippet is a
breed of dog produced by crossing a hybrid of a fox-terrier and a greyhound with an Italian greyhound. Whippets are used for coursing rabbits, especially in the north of England.

Whistling Snipe
see "
Greenshank"

White thorn
The
White thorn is the white variety of the Hawthorn tree.

White-tailed deer
see "
Virginia Deer"

Whitebait
Whitebait is the name given to the fry of sprats or
herrings.

Whortleberry
Whortleberry (
Vaccinium) is the name of several species of shrubs of the order Vacciniacea, such as the cranberry, cowberry and bilberry but often restricted to the bilberry.

Widow Bird
The widow
bird is several species of African weaver birds. They trick other birds into rearing their young.

Wigeon
The wigeon is a British
duck.

Wildebeeste
see "
Gnu"

Willow
Willow is an
amentaceae of the family salicaceae. Its timber is used to make cricket bats.

Winter cherry
Winter cherry (Physalis alkekengi) is a perennial herbaceous planmt of the order Solanacea, a native to China and the Caucasus, with a creeping root, wedge-shaped oval leaves borne on long stalks, and an orange-coloured berry borne in the enlarged calyx which assumes the same hue after the white petals have been shed.

Wireworm
Wireworm is the larva of the clickbeetle. It damages crops by feeding on the roots of all kinds of
cereal crops.

Wistaria
Wistaria is a
genus of plants of the order Leguminosae. They are climbing shrubs with large downy leaves divided into five or six pairs of oval leaflets, and long clusters of violet-blue flowers.

Witch-hazel
see "
Hamamelidaceae"

Withy
Withy (
Salix fragilis) also called crack willow is a large tree of the order Salicaceae which attains a height of over 25 meters, sometimes in the space of 20 years.

Woad
Woad (Isatis tinctoria) is a
biennial herbaceous plant of the order Cruciferae, native to Europe and north Asia but not to Britain. The stem is erect and smooth attaining a height of 1 meter and bears stalkless arrow-shaped leaves and elongated clusters of small yellow flowers.

Wolf
The wolf is the largest
species of wild dog and the original stock from which all domestic dogs were derived.

Wolf-fish
see "
Cat-fish"

Wolverene
see "
Glutton"

Wolverine
see "
Glutton"

Wombat
The wombat is a nocturnal,
herbivorous marsupial.

Wood-ibis
Wood-ibis is an
American bird of the Tantalus genus. It lives in swamps where it feeds on snakes, young alligators, frogs and other reptiles.

Woodbine
see "
Honeysuckle"

Woodcock
The woodcock is a British game
bird.

Woodlice
The woodlice are
malacostraca.

Wormwood
Wormwood is a
European woody herb (Artemisia absinthium). It yields a dark-green oil which was once used as a tonic against intestinal worms and as a protection against moths and fleas, and is now used as a flavouring in vermouth and absinthe.

Woundwort
see "
Stachys"

Wren
The wren is a small brown
bird with a cocked tail of the order Passeriformes, family Troglodytidae. The wren feeds mainly on insects and spiders and grows to about 9 cm long with a 13 cm wing span. It has a life span of about 6 years.

Xanthorrhoea
see "
Grass-tree"

Xiphosura
Xiphosura are the king-crabs order of
arachnida. They are aquatic animals with gill-books.

Xylem
Xylem is a woody
tissue found in vascular plants. Its purpose is to conduct water and dissolved minerals from the root to the rest of the plant.

Yak
The yak is a wild
ox found in Tibet.

Yam
The yam is a tropical
plant, the tuba of which is eaten as a vegetable.

Yarr
Yarr (
Spergula arvensis) is a white wild flower common in British pastures.

Yarrow
Yarrow is a
perennial herb with a creeping rhizome and erect, furrowed and downy stems. Yarrow flowers between June and August, and is common throughout Europe and Asia.

Yeast
Yeast is a fungus.

Yellow sage
see "
Red sage"

Yew
The yew (taxus) is an
evergreen tree of the family taxaceae. It was sacred to the ancient pagan religion of Britain.

Yorkshire Leicester
The Yorkshire Leicester or Wensleydale is a
breed of British sheep. It is a large, hornless animal with open lustrous wool and bluish skin on the face and ears.

Yucca
The yucca is a
liliaceae.

Zebra
The zebra is a black and white striped wild
horse found in Africa.

Zoantharia
Zoantharia is an order of
anthozoa. They have simple tentacles occuring in multiples of six.

Zoology
Zoology is the science which deals with the structure, life-history, habits and activities of
animals.

Zoomastigina
The zoomastigina are a subclass of
mastigophora.