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mesquit

(Science: botany) A name for two trees of the southwestern part of North America, the honey mesquite, and screw-pod mesquite.

screw-pod mesquite, a smaller tree (Prosopis pubescens), having spiral pods used as fodder and sometimes as food by the indians. Mesquite grass, a rich native grass in western Texas (Bouteloua oligostachya, and other species); so called from its growing in company with the mesquite tree.

Synonym: muskit grass, grama grass.

Origin: Sp. Mezquite; said to be a Mexican Indian word.