cross-vine

[ kraws-vahyn, kros- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a climbing or creeping woody vine, Bignonia capreolata, of the bignonia family, having yellow-red trumpet-shaped flowers and a stem that shows a crosslike arrangement in cross section.

cross vine

a woody bignoniaceous vine, Bignonia capreolata, of the southeastern US, having large trumpet-shaped reddish flowers

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

The cross-vine (Bignonia), less freehanded, hung its showy bells out of reach in the treetops.

In the southern states it is called cross-vine, as the wood if cut transversely shows a cross.

And within a few rods of the same spot I sat down more than once to take a long look at a cross-vine covering a dead hemlock.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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