Potato beetle

Potato beetle
Potato Po*ta"to, n.; pl. {Potatoes}. [Sp. patata potato, batata sweet potato, from the native American name (probably batata) in Hayti.] (Bot.) (a) A plant ({Solanum tuberosum}) of the Nightshade family, and its esculent farinaceous tuber, of which there are numerous varieties used for food. It is native of South America, but a form of the species is found native as far north as New Mexico. (b) The sweet potato (see below). [1913 Webster]

{Potato beetle}, {Potato bug}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A beetle ({Doryphora decemlineata}) which feeds, both in the larval and adult stages, upon the leaves of the potato, often doing great damage. Called also {Colorado potato beetle}, and {Doryphora}. See {Colorado beetle}. (b) The {Lema trilineata}, a smaller and more slender striped beetle which feeds upon the potato plant, bur does less injury than the preceding species.

{Potato fly} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of blister beetles infesting the potato vine. The black species ({Lytta atrata}), the striped ({Lytta vittata}), and the gray ({Lytta Fabricii} syn. {Lytta cinerea}) are the most common. See {Blister beetle}, under {Blister}.

{Potato rot}, a disease of the tubers of the potato, supposed to be caused by a kind of mold ({Peronospora infestans}), which is first seen upon the leaves and stems.

{Potato weevil} (Zo["o]l.), an American weevil ({Baridius trinotatus}) whose larva lives in and kills the stalks of potato vines, often causing serious damage to the crop.

{Potato whisky}, a strong, fiery liquor, having a hot, smoky taste, and rich in amyl alcohol (fusel oil); it is made from potatoes or potato starch.

{Potato worm} (Zo["o]l.), the large green larva of a sphinx, or hawk moth ({Macrosila quinquemaculata}); -- called also {tomato worm}. See Illust. under {Tomato}.

{Seaside potato} (Bot.), {Ipom[oe]a Pes-Capr[ae]}, a kind of morning-glory with rounded and emarginate or bilobed leaves. [West Indies]

{Sweet potato} (Bot.), a climbing plant ({Ipom[oe]a Balatas}) allied to the morning-glory. Its farinaceous tubers have a sweetish taste, and are used, when cooked, for food. It is probably a native of Brazil, but is cultivated extensively in the warmer parts of every continent, and even as far north as New Jersey. The name potato was applied to this plant before it was to the {Solanum tuberosum}, and this is the ``potato'' of the Southern United States.

{Wild potato}. (Bot.) (a) A vine ({Ipom[oe]a pandurata}) having a pale purplish flower and an enormous root. It is common in sandy places in the United States. (b) A similar tropical American plant ({Ipom[oe]a fastigiata}) which it is thought may have been the original stock of the sweet potato. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • potato beetle — ☆ potato beetle or potato bug n. COLORADO BEETLE * * * Destructive species (Lema trilineata) of leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae). Less than 0.25 in. (6 mm) long, it is yellow and has three black stripes on its wing covers. Eggs are laid on the… …   Universalium

  • potato beetle — ☆ potato beetle or potato bug n. COLORADO BEETLE …   English World dictionary

  • potato beetle — noun black and yellow beetle that feeds in adult and larval stages on potato leaves; originally of eastern Rocky Mountains; now worldwide • Syn: ↑Colorado potato beetle, ↑Colorado beetle, ↑potato bug, ↑Leptinotarsa decemlineata • Hypernyms: ↑leaf …   Useful english dictionary

  • potato beetle — Colorado beetle Col o*ra do bee tle (Zo[ o]l.) A yellowish beetle ({Doryphora decemlineata}), with ten longitudinal, black, dorsal stripes. It has migrated eastwards from its original habitat in Colorado, and is very destructive to the potato… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • potato beetle — noun Date: 1866 Colorado potato beetle …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • potato beetle — /ˈpəˈteɪtoʊ bitl/ (say puh taytoh beetl) noun → Colorado beetle. Also, Chiefly US, potato bug …  

  • potato beetle — noun the Colorado beetle, Leptinotarsa decimlineata Syn: Colorado beetle, ten striped spearman …   Wiktionary

  • Colorado potato beetle — Potato beetle redirects here. This can also refer to similar Chrysomelidae, e.g. Lema trilineata. Colorado potato beetle Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Colorado potato beetle — Potato Po*ta to, n.; pl. {Potatoes}. [Sp. patata potato, batata sweet potato, from the native American name (probably batata) in Hayti.] (Bot.) (a) A plant ({Solanum tuberosum}) of the Nightshade family, and its esculent farinaceous tuber, of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • False potato beetle — Taxobox name = False potato beetle image width = 240px regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Insecta ordo = Coleoptera familia = Chrysomelidae genus = Leptinotarsa species = L. juncta binomial = Leptinotarsa juncta binomial authority =… …   Wikipedia

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