Conservative legislation covering university that’s growing and tricky to handle (6)
I believe the answer is:
cactus
'growing and tricky to handle' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'conservative legislation covering university' is the wordplay.
'conservative' becomes 'C' (UK political abbreviation).
'legislation' becomes 'acts' (I've seen this in another clue).
'covering' indicates putting letters inside.
'university' becomes 'U' (abbreviation as in UMass).
'acts' enclosing 'u' is 'actus'.
'c'+'actus'='CACTUS'
'that's' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cactus that I've seen before include "Spiny desert plant" , "Plant found in dry places" , "Eg, prickly pear" , "Drought-resistant plant" , "Thorny desert plant" .)