CALYX, in botany, the exterior covering of a flower; that is, the outermost floral en velope consisting of a circle or whorl of leaves external to the corolla, which it encloses and supports. The parts or leaves which belong to it are called sepals; they may be united by their margins, or distinct, and are usually of a green color and of less delicate texture than the corolla. In many flowers, however (especially monocotyledons), there is little or no difference in character between calyx and corolla. In some groups of plants the calyx is wanting.
CAM, kali, Augustus Nicolas, French sculptor: b. Paris 1822. He was a pupil of Rude; his first works represent small animals, but he later chose the large beasts and birds of prey for his subjects. Among his best-known works are (Linnets Defending Their Nest Against Rats); (Tiger in Conflict with a Crocodile' ; and (Eagle and Vulture Wrangling over the Carcass of a Bear.' — CAM, kin, or CAO, kan, Diogo, Por tuguese explorer of the 15th century, who fol lowed up the course of Prince Henry of Portu gal, sailed along the west coast of Africa, and in 1484 discovered the mouth of the Kongo, near whose bank an inscribed stone erected by him as a memorial was found in 1::7. He then continued on to Cape Cross, where he also left a pillar dated 1485. This monument is now at
Kiel, and three others which he erected are in the museum of the Lisbon Geographical So ciety. On Cam's return from his first voyage, his sovereign, Joan II, ennobled him (April 1484). He established Christianity in one of the Kongo states.
CAM, lam, an English river formed by the junction of two streams, one of which (the Granta) rises in Essex and flows northwest, while the other (the Rhee) rises in the north of Hertfordshire, and flows northeast. The united stream flows sluggishly northward through Cambridgeshire, and falls into the Ouse some four miles south of Ely after a course of about 40 miles. The university town of Cambridge is situated on its banks a few miles below the con fluence of the head-streams. It is navigable to Cambridge and is famous in connection with the boating races of the students of Cambridge University.
CAM, in machinery, a simple contrivance for converting a uniform rotary motion into a varied rectilinear motion, usually a projecting part of a wheel or other revolving piece so placed as to give an alternating or varying mo tion to another piece that comes in contact with it and is free to move only in a certain direc tion.