japonica

/dʒəˈpɑnɪkə/
noun
  1. A shrub or small tree with showy flowers, often grown in gardens; also called Japanese quince.
    • The japonica in our backyard blooms with bright red flowers every spring.
    • The gardener pruned the japonica to keep it from blocking the path.
    • She planted a japonica near the fence for a splash of color.
  2. A type of rice with short, plump grains that become sticky when cooked, commonly used in East Asian cuisine.
    • Sushi is traditionally made with japonica rice because of its sticky texture.
    • She prefers japonica rice for making rice balls.
    • The farmer grows japonica rice in flooded paddies.
What does "japonica" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean