calamite


cal·a·mite

C0024400 (kăl′ə-mīt′)n. Any of various extinct, chiefly Carboniferous trees of the genus Calamites, anatomically similar to the modern-day herbaceous horsetails (Equisetum).
[New Latin Calamītēs, genus name, from Late Greek kalamītēs, reedlike, from Greek kalamos, reed.]

calamite

(ˈkæləˌmaɪt) n (Plants) any extinct treelike plant of the genus Calamites, of Carboniferous times, related to the horsetails[C19: from New Latin Calamītes type genus, from Greek kalamitēs reedlike, from kalamos reed]

cal•a•mite

(ˈkæl əˌmaɪt)

n. any fossil plant of the genus Calamites and related genera of the Carboniferous Period, resembling oversized horsetails. [1745–55; < New Latin Calamites < Greek kalamitēs reedlike] cal`a•mi′te•an, adj. ca•lam•i•toid (kəˈlæm ɪˌtɔɪd) adj.