3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the female
flower of maize.
Raw silk, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and before it is
manufactured. -- Silk cotton, a cottony substance enveloping the seeds
of the silk-cotton tree. -- Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for several
tropical trees of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to
the order Bombaceæ. The trees grow to an immense size, and have their
seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is used for stuffing
cushions, but can not be spun. -- Silk flower. (Bot.) (a) The silk
tree. (b) A similar tree (Calliandra trinervia) of Peru. -- Silk fowl
(Zoöl.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky plumage. -- Silk gland
(Zoöl.), a gland which secretes the material of silk, as in spider or a
silkworm; a sericterium. -- Silk gown, the distinctive robe of a
barrister who has been appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence, the
counsel himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers, who
wear stuff gowns. [Eng.] -- Silk grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa
comata) of the Western United States, which has very long silky awns.
The name is also sometimes given to various species of the genera Aqave
and Yucca. -- Silk moth (Zoöl.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See
Silkworm. -- Silk shag, a coarse, rough-woven silk, like plush, but
with a stiffer nap. -- Silk spider (Zoöl.), a large spider (Nephila
plumipes), native of the Southern United States, remarkable for the
large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the great disparity
in the sizes of the sexes. -- Silk thrower, Silk throwster, one who
twists or spins silk, and prepares it for weaving. Brande & C. -- Silk
tree (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree (Albizzia Julibrissin) with
finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat pods; -- so called because of
the abundant long silky stamens of its blossoms. Also called silk
flower. -- Silk vessel. (Zoöl.) Same as Silk gland, above. -- Virginia
silk (Bot.), a climbing plant (Periploca Græca) of the Milkweed family,
having a silky tuft on the seeds. It is native in Southern Europe.
Silk"en (?), a. [AS. seolcen, seolocen.] 1. Of or pertaining to silk;
made of, or resembling, silk; as, silken cloth; a silken veil.
2. Fig.: Soft; delicate; tender; smooth; as, silken language. "Silken
terms precise." Shak.