a. [ad. mod.L. tubulōs-us; cf. F. tubuleux (1771 in Dict. Trévoux).]
1. Having the form of a tube; = TUBULAR 1.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 4. The stings in all Bees are hollow and tubulous.
1755. Gentl. Mag., Jan., 8/2. The flower is red and tubulous.
1826. Samouelle, Direct. Collect. Insects & Crust., 23. A very short tubulous haustellum.
2. Containing or composed of tubes: = TUBULAR 3. a. Bot. (See quot.) rare0.
1864. Webster, Tubulose, Tubulous. 2. Containing small tubes; composed wholly of tubulous florets; as, a tubulous compound flower.
b. Of a steam boiler: Having either fire-tubes or water-tubes.
1860. Illustr. Lond. News, 5 May, 422/3. Safety-boilers (Tubulous) are now made with water fire-box.
1892. Spectator, 19 March, 386/1. The tubulous boiler [for ships] is growing in favour both in France and America.
Hence Tubulously adv., in a tubulous form; Tubulousness (Bailey, 1727, vol. II.).
1818. T. Nuttall, Genera N. Amer. Plants, II. 80. Spatha tubulously cucullate.