styrax
(ˈstaɪəræks)
[a. L. styrax, a. Gr. στύραξ, storax, storax-tree.]
1. An aromatic gum; = storax 1.
| 1558 Warde tr. Alexis' Secr. i. 45 Take..Ambergryse,..Styrax calamita, [etc.]..And the Ambre, Styrax, and other thinges that remaine in the bottome of the sayd vessel,..will be excedinge good to make muske or swete balles. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. iii. 336 Belzoin, Ladanum, Styrax, and such like gummes, which make a pleasant and acceptable perfume. 1783 Phil. Trans. LXXIII. 239 It is but too common to find it adulterated..with styrax or other resins. 1882 Encycl. Brit. XIV. 687/2 It is from the bark of this latter tree [Liquidambar orientalis] that the storax of the ancients.., the medicinal styrax of to-day, is prepared. |
2. A styrax-tree (see 3).
Cf. storax 2.
| 1832 Macgillivray Trav. Humboldt xxiii. (1836) 329 The truncated cone of Tolima..rises amidst forests of styrax. |
3. Comb., as
styrax-flowing adj.;
styrax tree, a tree of the genus
Styrax,
esp. S. officinalis.
| 1786 Abercrombie Gard. Assist., Arrang. Plants 30 Liquidambar, or sweet gum tree *Styrax-flowing. |
| 1579 North Plutarch, Lysander (1595) 493 Not far from thence there grow great plenty of *Styrax [printed Styrap] trees. 1767 Abercrombie Ev. Man his own Gard. (1805) 685/1 Styrax-tree, officinal. |