in botany: A genus of the pentandria order, belonging to the monoteca class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 49th order, Compositae. The male calyx is common and triphyllous; the florets of the disc monopetalous and quinquefid; the receptacle divided by small hairs. There is no female calyx nor corolla; but five florets in the radius; two long styles; and one naked and obtuse seed.

IVAHAH is the name of one of the canoes or boats used by the islanders of the South Sea for short excursions to sea: it is well-fitted and flat-bottomed. These boats are of different sizes, their length being from 72 feet to 10; but their breadth is by no means in proportion; for those of ten feet are about a foot wide, and those of more than 70 are scarcely two. The fighting ivahah is the longest, with its head and stern considerably raised above the body in a semicircular form: the stern is sometimes 17 or 18 feet high. When they go to sea, they are fastened together side by side, at the distance of about three feet, by strong poles of wood laid across and lashed to the gun-whales. On these, in the fore-part, a stage or platform is raised, about 10 or 12 feet long, somewhat wider than the boats, and supported by pillars about six feet high: on this stage are ranged the fighting men, whose missile weapons are slings and spears; and below the stage the rowers sit. The fighting ivahahs are from 40 feet long to 10; those of 25 feet and upwards occasionally carry sails. The travelling ivahah is always double, and furnished with a small neat house about five or six feet broad, and six or seven feet long.