in heathen antiquity, denotes the food of the gods, in contradiction from the drink, which was called nectar. It had the appellation ambrosia (compounded of the particle α, and βολτας, immortal,) as being supposed to render those immortal who fed on it.

AMBROSIA is also a splendid kind of title, given by some physicians to certain alexipharmic compositions, of extraordinary virtue. The name was particularly given to a famous antidote of Philip of Macedon, against all poisons, bites, and stings of venomous creatures, as well as many internal diseases.

AMBROSIA: A genus of the pentandria order, belonging to the monoeica clasps of plants; and, in the natural method, ranking under the 49th order, Compositae-nucamentaceae. The characters are:—The Male flowers are compound: The common calyx is a single-leaved perianthium, the length of the florets: The compound corolla is uniform, tubular, flat, and hemispherical; the proper is monopetalous, funnel-shaped, and quinquefid: The filaments consist of five very small filaments; the anthers are erect, parallel, and pointed: The pistillum has a filiform style, the length of the filaments; the stigma orbicular and membranous: The receptaculum is naked.—Female flowers below the male ones, on the same plant, doubled: The calyx is a single-leaved perianthium, entire (with the belly quinquedated), one-flowered, and perfumed: There is no corolla: The pistillum has an ovate germen in the bottom of the calyx; a filiform style, the length of the calyx; and two long bristly stigmata: The pericarpium is an ovate unilocular nut: The seed is single and roundish. Of this genus five species are enumerated; but having no properties worthy of notice, we omit any farther account of them.