FERRARIA, in botany: A genus of the triandra order, belonging to the gynandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the sixth order, Enfata. The spathe are uniflorous; the petals six in number, and wavyly curled; the stigmate cucullated or cowed; the capsule is trilocular, inferior. There are two species, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. There is a great singularity in the root of one of these species, that it vegetates only every other year, and sometimes every third year; in the intermediate time it remains inactive, though very sound and good.