Category:Sycamore

Syc"a*more, n. Etym: [l. sycomorus, gr. sycomore. Cf. Mulberry.] (bot.) (a) a large tree (ficus sycomorus) allied to the common fig. It is Found in egypt and syria, and is the sycamore, or sycamine, of Scripture. (b) the american plane tree, or buttonwood. (c) a large european species of maple (acer pseudo-platanus). [written sometimes sycomore.]

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Sycamore - More properly sycomore (Heb. shikmoth and shikmim, Gr. sycomoros ), a tree which in its general character resembles the fig-tree, while its leaves resemble those of the mulberry; hence it is called the fig-mulberry (Ficus sycomorus). At Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a sycomore-tree to see Jesus as he passed by (Luke 19:4). This tree was easily destroyed by frost (Psalms 78:47), and therefore it is found mostly in the "vale" (1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chronicles 1:15 : in both passages the R.V. has properly "lowland"), i.e., the "low country," the shephelah, where the climate is mild. Amos (Amos 7:14) refers to its fruit, which is of an inferior character; so also probably Jeremiah (Jeremiah 24:2). It is to be distinguished from our sycamore (the Acer pseudo-platanus), which is a species of maple often called a plane-tree.