Science & Tech > Plants > Nonwoody

Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.

abaca abaka the Manila-hemp plant, or its fiber.
absinth absinthe the wormwood plant or other species of Artemisia; a liqueur made from this.
abutilon a plant of the mallow family. [Arabic aubutilun].
acanth acanthus a genus of herbaceous prickly plants > ACANTHUSES or ACANTHI.
achillea a plant of the yarrow genus. [From Gk. Achilleus, Achilles].
achimenes a genus of herbaceous perennnial plants > ACHIMENES.
acidanthera a white-flowered plant of NE Africa.
aconite aconitum the monk's-hood or wolf's-bane plant.
adderwort the common BISTORT, aka SNAKEWEED.
adjigo a plant native to Australia that has edible tubers, aka yam plant.
agapanthus a genus of lily native to S. Africa > AGAPANTHUSES.
agave any of numerous spiny-leaved plants of the American genus Agave.
ageratum a genus of plants, one popular species of which has lavender-blue flowers in dense clusters. [NL, ultimately from Greek ageraton something which does not grow old].
agrimony a perennial herb of a genus (Agrimonia) of the rose family.
agrostemma a European caryophyllaceous plant, aka CORNCOCKLE > AGROSTEMMAS or AGROSTEMMATA.
agueweed a North American gentianaceous plan, that has clusters of pale blue-violet or white flowers; also, another name for BONESET.
ajuga a genus of plants, including BUGLE.
aka a New Zealand vine.
akatea a New Zealand vine with white flowers.
alecost a garden plant having a strong balsamic smell, nearly allied to tansy. Aka COSTMARY.
alfilaria alfileria a Californian weed, aka pin grass. [Sp. alfilerro, from alfiler, pin]. Aka FILAREE.
alisma a plant of the water-plantain genus. [Gk. alisma, water-plantain].
alison a plant of the Alyssum genus of low-growing, cruciferous plants, aka ALYSSUM.
alizari levantine MADDER. Cf. ALIZARIN.
alkanet alkannin a wild flower; a reddish plant-based dye obtained from this.
allheal a herb with curative properties.
allium a plant of the Allium genus to which onions, garlics, leeks etc. belong.
allseed a weed of the flax family.
alocasia any of various tropical plants of the genus Alocasia.
alsike a kind of clover.
althaea althea a genus of plants of the mallow family, that includes the garden hollyhock.
alumroot any of several North American plants of the saxifragaceous genus Heuchera, having small white, reddish, or green bell-shaped flowers and astringent roots; the root of such a plant.
alyssum a plant of the Alyssum genus of low-growing, cruciferous plants.
amaracus marjoram > AMARACUSES. [L. amaracus].
amarant amaranth a reddish-purple flower that never fades.
amarantin of or like AMARANTH.
amaryllid any member of the AMARYLLIS family.
amaryllis the belladonna lily, or any of several similar plants. [Amaryllis, a girl's name in the Greek and Latin poets and others].
ambari ambary a fibre-yielding plant of E. Indies, aka KENAF.
amomum a plant of the ginger family native to Asia and Africa. [Gk. amomon, probably cardamom].
amsinckia a Californian herb.
anacharis a fresh-water weed of the frog's-bit family, native to America > ANACHARISES.
anchusa a plant of the borage family.
anemone any member of the genus Anemone of the crowfoot family.
angelica a white flower, used in cooking and medicine. [ML. herba angelica, angelic herb].
anglepod a flowering plant.
anil indigo, the plant or dye.
anise an annual Mediterranean plant of the carrot family.
anthemis a genus of aromatic herbs of the family native to the Mediterranean region and SW Asia.
anthurium a tropical American plant.
antirrhinumum a garden flower, aka SNAPDRAGON.
apiaceous parsley-like.
aquilegia a genus of plants including columbine.
arabis any member of a large genus of trailing plants.
arachis a Brazilian plant genus that includes monkey-nut.
aralia a genus of ivy-like plants.
arethusa a kind of orchid. [From Arethusa, a girl turned into a fountain by Artemis].
argemone a plant of the prickly poppy genus. [Gk. argemone, a kind of poppy].
armeria the generic name for the plant thrift.
arnica a genus of plants including the mountain tobacco; a tincture obtained from mountain tobacco used for bruises, etc.
aristolochia any plant of the birthwort genus Aristolochia.
aroid any plant of the ARUM family.
arrowgrass either of two species, sea arrowgrass or marsh arrowgrass, of monocotyledonous perennials having long thin fleshy leaves and spikes of inconspicuous flowers.
arrowhead an aquatic plant.
arrowroot a W. Indian plant with fleshy tuberous rhizomes; a pure edible starch made from this.
artemisia a plant, sagebrush and wormwood, named for Artemis, to whom it was sacred.
arum a large-spathed plant, aka 'cuckoo-pint' or 'lords and ladies'.
asclepiad asclepias an American plant of the milkweed genus > ASCLEPIASES. [Gk. asklepias, swallow-wort].
asphodel a plant of the lily family; in literature, the flower of the Elysian fields.
aster a plant of the Aster genus of Compositae, with large showy flowers.
astilbe a garden flower.
astrantia a plant of the Astrantia genus of hardy, perennial umbelliferous plants with showy petal-like bracts.
astrofell astrophel an unidentified bitter starlike plant, possibly aster.
atamasco a plant of the south-eastern US, bearing a single white lily-like flower > ATAMASCOS.
aubretia aubrieta aubrietia any of several dwarf trailing cruciferous plants of the genus Aubrieta, usu. bearing violet or purple flowers.
auricula a species of Primula, or primrose, aka, from the shape of its leaves, bear's-ear > AURICULAE or AURICULAS.
avens a wild flower > AVENSES. N.B. no AVEN*.
awlwort an aquatic plant with awl-shaped leaves.
axseed a European herb.
baldmoney a wild flower, aka MEU, SPIGNEL or SPICKNEL.
baneberry a black poisonous berry, the fruit of the ranunculaceous plant Actaea spicata; the plant itself.
baptisia a genus of N. American leguminous plants.
barbasco any of a variety of S. American plants, the roots of which are used to make fish-poison etc > BARBASCOS or BARBASCOES.
barilla the alkali plant, Salsola soda; an impure alkali made by burning this.
barrenwort an herbaceous plant of the Barberry family.
bartsia a wild flower.
basil a kind of herb.
bearberry a trailing plant of the heath family, having leaves which are tonic and astringent, and glossy red berries of which bears are said to be fond.
bearbine a bindweed.
beargrass a N. American plant.
bedstraw any of numerous straggling plants of the genus Galium, belonging to the madder family and bearing many tiny flowers.
beggarweed any of various plants, such as KNOTWEED, SPURREY or DODDER, that grows on waste ground.
begonia a garden plant with waxy leaves and ornamental flowers.
bellbind hedge or field bindweed.
bellflower another name for CAMPANULA.
bellwort a genus of plants with yellowish bell-shaped flowers.
beni benne benni sesame, a plant native to SE Asia, producing seeds used as food and yielding an edible oil.
bennet as in herb bennet, another name for AVENS.
bergenia any of various perennial plants of the genus Bergenia, of the saxifrage family. [From K. A. von Bergen, Ger. physician & botanist].
berseem a kind of clover.
betony a wild flower with a spike of reddish-purple flowers, formerly used in dyeing.
bindweed any of various weeds that trail along the ground and twine themselves around other plants.
birdseye a kind of primrose.
birdsfoot a papilionaceous genus of plants with clawlike pods.
birthroot an herbaceous plant with an astringent rootstock, said to have medicinal properties.
birthwort a plant formerly reputed to help parturition.
bishopweed another name for GOUTWEED.
bisnaga biznaga a type of cactus.
bistort a plant with a twisted astringent root. Aka ADDERWORT, SNAKEWEED.
bittercress one of several perennial or annual cruciferous plants of the genus Cardamine.
bittersweet the woody nightshade, whose roots if chewed first tast bitter, then sweet.
bitterweed any of various plants containign a bitter-tasting substance.
biznaga see BISNAGA.
blackboy an Australian plant of the lily family.
blawort blewart the harebell; the corn bluebottle.
blite a genus of herbs with a fleshy calyx.
bloodroot a plant with a red root and red sap, and bearing a pretty, white flower in early spring, aka PUCCOON, REDROOT.
bloodwort a plant with a red dye in the roots.
bloomer a flower that blooms in a specified way e.g. a night bloomer
blowball the downy seed head of a dandelion, which children delight to blow away.
blueball a medicinal herb.
bluebell in S England, the wood hyacinth; in Scotland and N England, the harebell.
bluecurls a North American plant. No BLUECURL*.
bluet any of various blue-flowered plants; esp. the cornflower.
blueweed a bristly weed.
bogbean a wild flower.
boltonia a perennial herb.
boneset a medicinal plant, aka THOROUGHWORT, with diaphoretic and tonic properties.
borage a rough-stemmed herb used in salads.
bouvardia a flowering plant.
boxberry the wintergreen.
briony bryony any of several herbaceous climbing plants.
bromelia bromeliad any plant of the genus Bromelia, that includes pineapples.
brooklime a wild flower with small blue flowers.
brookweed a small white-flowered herb found usually in wet places; aka water pimpernel.
broomrape a parasitic plant.
browallia a flowering plant.
bryony see BRIONY.
buckbean a marsh plant.
bugbane a perennial white-flowered herb of the order Ranunculaceae, aka BUGWORT.
bugleweed a plant of the mint family, having mild narcotic and astringent properties.
bugloss a wild flower, with bristly stem and vivid blue flowers.
bugseed an annual herb.
bugwort a perennial white-flowered herb of the order Ranunculaceae, aka BUGBANE.
bullbrier a prickly American vine.
bullweed knapweed.
bulrushy full of bulrushes.
buplever a plant, hare's ear.
burdock a dandelion-like plant.
burseed a coarse weed.
burweed any of various burry plants such as BURDOCK.
butterbur a plant of damp places with very broad leaves.
buttercup a crowfoot (genus Ranunculus), esp of one of those species that have golden-yellow cup-shaped flowers.
butterwort a genus of low insectivorous plants.
cabomba an aquatic plant.
cactus a succulent plant of the family Cactaceae, with thick fleshy stems, usu. spiny and without leaves > CACTI or CACTUSES.
calabash a gourd-bearing vine; a dish made from the gourd.
caladium any tropical plant of the genus Caladium, of the arum family, the plants of which are grown for their attractive foliage. [Malay keladi].
calamint a genus of labiate aromatic plants allied to mint and thyme.
calanthe an orchid of the genus Calanthe, having tall spikes of long-lasting flowers. [Gk. kalos, beautiful + anthe, blossom].
calathea a showy indoor plant.
calceolaria any plant of the S American genus Calceolaria, the plants of which are largely cultivated for the beauty of their slipperlike flowers.
calendula a marigold.
calla a genus of plants, of the order Araceae.
calliopsis a genus of herbaceous composite plants, mostly America. Also COREOPSIS.
calluna any plant of the genus CALLUNA, ling.
caltha a genus of plants including the marsh marigold.
calycanthus the Carolina allspice or strawberry shrub, a North American shrub.
camas camash camass quamash a blue-flowered liliaceous plant of northwestern America, the bulbs of which are collected for food by the Indians.
camelia camellia a showy flower.
camomile chamomile a creeping aromatic plant of the composite family, with yellow-centred white-rayed flowers, formerly much grown for its fragrance.
campanula a plant of the Campanula genus, commonly known as bellflowers or bells, the best-known being the harebell or Scottish bluebell.
campion any plant of the genera Lychnis and Silene having usu pink or white star- or salver-shaped flowers with notched petals.
canaigre a large Texan dock, whose root is used in tanning.
candelilla a Mexican wax-yielding spurge.
candock the yellow water lily.
candytuft a cruciferous plant of the genus Iberis, with flowers in tufts or corymbs, the outer petals larger than the inner.
canna a tropical lily with showy red or yellow flowers > CANNAE or CANNAS. [L. canna, reed].
caprifoil caprifole honeysuckle.
caraway carraway an umbelliferous plant with aromatic seeds used as a tonic and condiment.
cardamine a genus of cruciferous plants. [Gk. kardamine, from kardamon, cress].
cardon a variety of cactus.
cardoon a thistle-like plant.
carduus a kind of thistle > CARDUUSES.
carline any plant of the genus Carlina closely related to the true thistles, especially the carline thistle.
carnation a double-flowering cultivated variety of the clove pink.
carraway see CARAWAY.
casava cassava a tropical plant whose roots yield a valuable starch.
catananche any of the hardy perennial genus Catananche, from S Europe; some, esp. C. caerulea, are grown for their blue-and-white flowers that can be dried as winter decoration.
catchfly a name for a species of campion (Lychnis viscaria) and several bladder campion (genus Silene) with sticky stems.
catchweed goosegrass or cleavers.
catmint catnep catnip a mint-like plant attractive to cats.
cattail any of various plants with long thin parts suggestive of cats' tails, esp. the reed-mace.
cattleya a kind of orchid. [From William Cattley, English botanist].
cebadilla sabadilla cevadilla a liliaceous plant, yielding the alkaloid veratrine. [Sp. cebada, barley].
celandine either of two plants (greater celandine, Chelidonium majus, and lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria) supposed to flower when the swallows came, and to perish when they went.
celosia a flowering plant.
centaurea a large genus of composite plants, related to the thistles and including the cornflower or bluebottle.
centaury a plant of the genus Centaurium, of the gentian family, usu. with pink flowers.
cerastium any low ground-covering plant of the genus Cerastium, that includes the alpine mouse-ear chickweed.
cereus a genus of plants of the Cactus family. They are natives of America, from California to Chili. [L. cereus waxen, wax-taper (from their stiff form)].
cetywall setwall setuale valerian, a plant formerly valued for its restorative qualities.
cevadilla see CEBADILLA.
chamomile see CAMOMILE.
charlock a weedy plant with yellow flowers.
chay chaya shaya an Indian plant of the madder family whose root chayroot yields a red dye. [Tamil saya].
checkerbloom a Californian malvaceous plant with pink or purple flowers.
chelone a genus of hardy perennial flowering plants, natives of North America.
chenopod any dicotyledonous flowering plant of the family Chenopodiaceae, the goosefoots.
chervil a wild umbellifer.
chia a Mexican herb.
chicalote a poppy of the SW US.
chiccory chickory chicory succory, a blue-flowered composite plant.
chickweed any plant of the genus Stellaria.
chive cive a herb of the onion family. CHIVE can also be a verb: to knife.
chrysanth chrysanthemum.
cicely an umbelliferous plant.
cicoree a perennial herb.
cicuta the hemlock plant.
cilantro coriander > CILANTROS.
cineraria any of various garden hybrids, with corymbs of daisy-like blue, purple, etc., flower-heads, grown as pot plants.
cistus any plant of the rock rose genus. [Gk. kistos, rock rose].
cive a herb of the onion family.
claddie a native New Zealand flax plant, aka KORARI.
clarkia any plant of the N American genus Clarkia, a favourite border plant.
clary any plant of the genus Salvia sclarea, sometimes used as a culinary herb,
claytonia an American genus of perennial herbs with delicate blossoms, aka spring beauty.
clearweed a nettle-like plant.
cleavers clivers goose-grass.
cleome an aromatic plant with white or purplish flowers.
clivers see CLEAVERS.
clivia a leek-like S.African plant. [From Lady Margaret Clive].
clote clotbur cocklebur the burdock.
cloudberry a low-growing plant with an amber fruit known as BAKEAPPLE.
clover any papilionaceous plant of the genus Trifolium.
clovered covered with CLOVER.
cloverlike any papilionaceous plant of the genus Trifolium.
clovery like clover > CLOVERIER, CLOVERIEST.
clow = CLOVE. A clow-flower is a gillyflower.
clusia any member of the genus Clusia of evergreen climbing plants.
cocklebur see CLOTE.
cohosh a perennial American herb whose rootstock is used in medicine.
colchicum a genus of bulbous-rooted plants including the meadow saffron > COLCHICA or COLCHICUMS. [L. from Gk. kolchikon, meadow saffron, neuter of Kolchikos, relating to Kolchis, the sorceress Medea's country].
cole a plant of the Brassica or Cabbage genus; esp. that form of B. oleracea called rape and coleseed.
coleseed the common rape or cole.
coleus a plant of several species of the Mint family, cultivated for its bright-colored or variegated leaves. [Gk. koleos, a sheath].
colewort a variety of cabbage in which the leaves never form a compact head.
colicroot a herb of the Bloodwort family, with small yellow or white flowers in a long spike.
colicweed any of various plants of genus Corydalis.
collinsia a North American plant of the scrophulariaceous genus Collinsia, having blue, white, or purple flowers.
colocynth a cucurbitaceous plant with bitter-tasting gourds. [Gk. kolokynthis]. Also COLOQUINTIDA.
coltsfoot a composite plant (Tussilago farfara) with a shaggy stalk and large soft leaves.
coltwood perhaps a plant with shaggy stalk and large soft leaves.
columbine a flower, aka aquilegia.
columnea a flowering plant.
comfrey a wild flower.
conium a genus of biennial, poisonous, white-flowered, umbelliferous plants, bearing ribbed fruit and decompound leaves.
copihue a climbing vine.
coralroot a kind of orchid.
coralwort a cruciferous herb of certain species of Dentaria; aka TOOTHWORT.
coreopsis a genus of herbaceous composite plants, mostly American.
coriander a plant yielding seeds used in medical and in curries and pickles.
cornflag another name for a GLADIOLUS.
corydalis a climbing plant.
cosmea a plant of the genus COSMOS.
costmary a garden plant having a strong balsamic smell, and nearly allied to tansy, used as a pot herb and salad plant and in flavoring ale and beer. Aka ALECOST.
cowage cowhage cowitch a leguminous climbing plant with crooked pods covered with sharp stinging hairs. [Hindi kavach].
cowbane a poisonous plant.
cowbind a species of bryony.
cowgrass perennial red clover.
cowhage see COWAGE.
cowherb a European flowering plant related to the carnation.
cowish an umbelliferous plant with an edible tuberous root found in North America.
cowitch see COWAGE.
cowpea the seed of one or more leguminous plants of the genus Dolichos; also, the plant itself.
cowslip a species of primrose (Primula veris), with fragrant yellow flowers arranged in umbels.
crazyweed a plant the consumption of which drives cattle mad, aka LOCOWEED.
creamcups a California annual of the poppy family > CREAMCUPS. N.B. no CREAMCUP*.
crinkleroot any of several species of TOOTHWORT.
crinum a family of tropical plants. [Gk. krinon, a lily].
crocine pertaining to the CROCUS.
crocosmia any plant of the genus Crocosmia, including MONTBRETIA.
crocus a kind of flower > CROCUSES or CROCI.
crosswort a BEDSTRAW with leaves set crosswise.
croton a plant, yielding an acrid oil used as a purgative. [Gk. kroton, a sheep-tick, which the seed resembles].
crowfoot a wild flower, aka buttercup or spearwort > CROWFEET or CROWFOOTS.
cudweed a woolly composite plant of the genus Gnaphalium.
cumbungi a tall Australian marsh plant.
cumin cummin an umbelliferous plant of the Mediterranean region with seeds like caraway.
cunjevoi a tall Australian plant of the arum family whose corms were formerly cooked as food; also, a kind of sea squirt found on Australian reefs and rocks and used as bait.
curcuma any plant of the genus Curcuma (of the ginger family), especially C. longa yielding turmeric. [Arabic kurkum].
cyclamen a plant of the S European Cyclamen genus.
cymbidium a family of orchids > CYMBIDIUMS or CYMBIDIA.
cytisus a plant of the broom genus > CYTISI.
daffodil a yellow-flowered narcissus. Also DAFFODILLY, DAFFADOWNDILLY.
dagga Indian hemp; also, an African labiate plant smoked as a narcotic.
dahlia a showy garden flower. [From Andreas Dahl (1751-89), Swed. botanist].
daisied covered with daisies.
daisy a composite wild or garden plant, with a yellow disc and white rays.
daisylike like a daisy.
damewort a cruciferous plant, remarkable for its fragrance, especially toward the close of the day.
dandelion a common yellow-flowered composite with jagged-toothed leaves.
datura a genus of solanaceous plants, with large funnel-shaped flowers and a four-celled, capsular fruit. [Hindi dhatura].
daturic relating to DATURA, a genus of solanaceous plants.
dayflower a genus consisting mostly of tropical perennial herbs, having ephemeral flowers.
daylily a liliaceous plant genus, whose flowers last for one day only.
dayshell a thistle.
deerweed a bushlike herb.
dentaria any plant of the genus Dentaria, including the cruciferous toothwort.
derris a vine yielding ROTENONE, that can be used as an insecticide.
desmodium a plant of the telegraph-plant genus > DESMODIUMS.
dianthus a genus of plants including the pink, carnation, and Sweet William > DIANTHUSES.
diascia a plant of the genus Diascia, native to southern Africa, cultivated for its colourful, pink flowers.
dicentra a genus of herbaceous plants, with racemes of two-spurred or heart-shaped flowers. [Gk. di- double + kentron, a point, spur].
dichondra a genus of tropical perennial herbs of the morning glory family.
dielytra an erroneous name for DICENTRA, a genus of herbaceous plants.
dill an umbelliferous herb related to parsnip, the fruits of which are used in condiments and as a carminative.
dillweed the leaves of the dill plant.
disa an African orchid, with dark green leaves.
dittander a pungent cruciferous plant, aka PEPPERWORT.
dittany a plant of the mint family, a native of Crete.
dock docken a polygonaceous weed of genus Rumex.
dodder a parasitic plant; (verb) to walk unsteadily or falteringly, totter.
dogbane a small genus of perennial herbaceous plants, with poisonous milky juice, bearing slender pods pods in pairs.
dogberry the berry of the dogwood.
doronicum a flower, leopard's-bane.
dragonroot a North American aroid plant, Arisaema dracontium, having a greenish spathe and a long pointed spadix; the tuberous root of this plant, formerly used in medicine.
dropwort a wild flower, a species of Spiraea.
drosera the fruit-fly > DROSERAS. [Gk. droseros, dewy].
dryas an Alpine plant.
duckweed any of various tiny aquatic plants belonging to the genus Lemna.
dulcamara a flower of the potato family, aka BITTERSWEET. [L. dulcis, sweet + amara, bitter].
dumbcane a poisonous tropical plant.
dwale deadly nightshade. [ON dvöl, dvali delay, sleep].
earthnut an umbelliferous plant, aka PIGNUT.
echeveria a kind of succulent plant.
echinacea a plant of the genus Echinaceae.
echium any plant of the genus ECHIUM.
edelweiss a white Alpine flower of the composite family. [G. edel, noble + weiss, white].
eelgrass any of several submerged marine flowering plants with ribbon-like leaves, aka ZOSTERA.
eelwrack a grasslike flowering plant of the pondweed family.
elodea an American genus of Hydrocharitaceae, to which the Canadian waterweed belongs.
emlets as in blood-drop emlets, a Chilean flower. No EMLET*.
epacrid epacris a member of an Australian genus of heath-like plants.
epazote a herb of the goosefoot family.
ephedra a plant of the sea-grape genus. [Gk. ephedra, horsetail].
epilobium a genus of plants that includes willowherb.
episcia a tropical American herb related to the African violet.
equisetum a plant, horsetail.
eremurus a flower, the foxtail lily > EREMURI or EREMURUSES.
erica a genus of plants, heather.
erigeron a plant of the genus Erigeron, fleabanes. [Gk. erigeron, groundsel, from eri, early + geron, old].
eringo eryngo eryngium a plant of the genus Eryngium, sea holly, reputed to be an aphrodisiac > ERINGOES or ERINGOS; ERYNGOES or ERYNGOS; ERYNGIUMS.
erinus any rock plant of the genus Erinus.
erodium a plant of the stork's-bill genus. [Gk. erodios, heron].
ers the bitter vetch > ERSES.
ervil a European vetch.
eryngium see ERINGO.
eryngo see ERINGO.
estragon a herb, aka TARRAGON.
eucharis a plant of a genus of S. American bulbous plants with fragrant white flowers > EUCHARISES. [Gk. charming, from eu well + charis grace].
eupatorium any plant of the genus Eupatorium, of tropical America and the Caribbean, cultivated for their ornamental clusters of purple, pink, or white flowers > EUPATORIUMS.
euphorbia any herb or shrub of the spurge family.
euphrasia euphrasy a wild flower, eyebright.
exacum any plant of the genus EXACUM.
eyebright a wild flower, once used to treat disorders of the eyes.
fanwort an aquatic plant.
felicia any member of a S. African genus of herbs. [L. felix, happy].
felwort a flower of the Gentian family.
femetary femiter fenitar the wild flower fumitory.
fennel a yellow-flowered umbelliferous plant.
fennelflower any of various species of Nigella with finely-divided leaves.
fenugreek a kind of herb. [L. fenum graecum, Greek hay].
feverfew an aromatic plant.
feverroot an American wild plant.
feverweed a plant thought to be medicinal.
feverwort a coarse American herb of the honeysuckle family.
figwort a genus of herbaceous plants.
filaree a Californian weed, aka pin grass. [Sp. alfilerro, from alfiler, pin]. Aka ALFILARIA.
fimble light summer hemp, that bears no seed.
finnochio finocchio finochio a dwarf variety of fennel.
fique a tropical plant.
firepink a flowering plant of the US.
fireweed a flower, aka rosebay willowherb.
flax the fibres of the plant Linum, which are woven to make linen cloth; the plant itself.
flaxlike like flax.
fleabane a wild flower.
fleawort a herb, formerly believed to destroy fleas.
flixweed a plant of the mustard family.
fluellen a weedy annual related to toadflax.
fluellin a name given to various speedwells and toadflaxes. [Alt. of Welsh llysiau Llywelyn Llewelyn's herbs].
foalfoot a wild flower, aka COLTSFOOT.
foamflower an American woodland spring-flowering herb.
fogfruit an American flowering plant.
fouat fouet the house-leek.
foxberry the bearberry, a trailing plant of the heath family.
foxglove a tall plant (genus Digitalis) with spikes of drooping (typically purple) bell-shaped flowers and leaves from which the drug digitalis was produced.
freesia a garden flower.
frogbit a kind of water-plant with roundish leaves and small white flowers.
fuchsia a genus of flowering plants having elegant drooping flowers. [From Leonard Fuchs, a German botanist].
fumitory any pant of genus Fumaria, esp one used to treat scurvy.
funckia funkia any plant of an Asiatic genus allied to the day-lilies, now called HOSTA. [From a German botanist].
furcraea a tropical American genus of plants related to the AGAVE. [From A. F. de Fourcroy (1755-1800), French chemist].
galax a heath-like evergreen plant of the southwestern US.
gallica a variety of rose.
galtonia a bulbous plant of the lily family native to Southern Africa.
gaywings a perennial herb > GAYWINGS. N.B. no GAYWING*.
gazania any plant of the genus Gazania, with bright orange or yellow flowers. [From Theodore of Gaza].
gelsemium a genus of climbing plants, with showy and deliciously fragrant flowers > GELSEMIUMS or GELSEMIA. [Ital. gelsemino, jasmine].
genista a genus of plants including the common broom of Western Europe.
genseng ginseng a plant of the genus Aralia, the root of which is highly valued as a medicine among the Chinese.
gentian any plant of the genus Gentiana, herbs, usually blue-flowered, abounding chiefly in alpine regions.
geranium a plant of the genus Geranium with seed vessels like a crane's bill, typical of the family Geraniaceae; (loosely) any cultivated plant of the genus Pelargonium.
gerardia any of a genus of often root-parasitic herbs of the snapdragon family.
gerbera a genus of S. African plants. [From T.Gerber, German naturalist].
germander a plant of the genus Teucrium, of mintlike herbs and low shrubs.
gesneria gesneriad a plant of a tropical American genus Gesneria. [From Konrad von Gesner, Swiss botanist and scholar].
gessamine jasmine.
geum an avens, a plant of the Geum genus of the rose family.
gilcup giltcup a buttercup.
gilliflower a carnation. Also GILLYFLOWER.
gillyvor a gillyflower, a carnation.
ginseng see GENSENG.
gipsywort a hairy Eurasian plant, Lycopus europaeus, having two-lipped white flowers with purple dots on the lower lip.
gladdie gladiolus.
gladdon an iris.
gladiola gladiole gladiolus a lilylike plant of the genus Gladiolus, aka corn flag. The pl. of GLADIOLUS is GLADIOLUSES or GLADIOLI.
gladiolar like a GLADIOLUS.
glasswort a plant of salt marshes.
gloriosa a genus of climbing plants with showy lilylike blossoms, natives of India.
gloxinia a house plant with bright bell-shaped flowers.
goatsbeard a Eurasian plant, Tragopogon pratensis, with woolly stems and large heads of yellow rayed flowers surrounded by large green bracts.
goatweed goutweed goutwort an umbelliferous weed, long supposed to be good for gout.
godetia any plant of the American genus Godetia, closely related to the evening primrose. [From C. H. Godet, Swiss botanist (died 1879)].
goldenrod a dark golden yellow flower.
goldenseal a N. American ranunculaceous plant, with a yellow rhizome used in medicine.
goldilocks a species of buttercup > GOLDILOCKSES.
goldthread a North American woodland ranunculaceous plant, with slender yellow roots; the root of this plant, which yields a medicinal tonic and a dye.
gollan golland gowlan gowland a name for various yellow flowers including marigold.
gool goold gule dialect name for MARIGOLD.
goosefoot a genus of herbs, mostly annual weeds.
goutweed see GOATWEED.
goutwort see GOATWEED.
gowan a daisy.
gowaned covered with GOWANS, daisies.
gowany having, abounding in, or decked with, daisies.
gowlan see GOLLAN.
gowland see GOWLAN.
greenbrier any of a genus of woody or herbaceous vines of the lily family.
greenweed a name given to certain half-shrubby species of Genista.
grindelia any coarse plant of the American genus Grindelia, with yellow daisy-like flower-heads.
gromwell a wild flower.
guaco any of several tropical American plants used as antidotes to snake-bites > GUACOS.
guarana a Brazilian liana of the soapberry family; a paste prepared from the seeds of this shrub, used as a food or medicine and esp. to make a drink resembling coffee. [Port. f. Tupi guaran´.]
gule see GOOL.
gumweed a plant covered with a gummy substance.
gunnera a large-leaved ornamental herb of the mare's-tail family.
gypsywort a labiate plant of watersides, with deeply cut leaves and whorls of small white flowers.
haemony in Milton, a plant 'of sovereign use against all enchantments'.
hairbell harebell a wild flower with a blue bell-shaped flower.
hairif the plant CLEAVERS.
halogeton a coarse annual herb of the goosefoot family.
harakeke flax.
hardheads another name for KNAPWEED.
hardoke hordock a plant, perhaps BURDOCK.
harebell see HAIRBELL.
harmala harmel the so-called African or Syrian rue, of the bean caper family.
hawkbit a flower of the dandelion family.
hawkweed any of the numerous microspecies of the genus Hieracium and Pilosella, of the composite family.
heathberry any of various plants that have berry-like fruits and grow on heaths, such as the bilberry and crowberry.
hebe a member of a genus of shrubby plants. [Gk. hebe, youth].
hebenon hebona anything e.g. a plant or fruit with a poisonous juice.
hedysarum a leguminous plant of the genus Hedysarum including both poisonous species and those with edible roots, e.g. licorice root.
helenium any plant of the genus Helenium, commonly with yellow flowers.
helianthus any plant of the genus Helianthus, such as the sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke, typically having large yellow daisy-like flowers with yellow, brown, or purple centres.
heliconia a tropical flowering plant.
heliopsis a flowering plant of the daisy family > HELIOPSES.
hellebore any of various early-flowering plants constituting the genus Helleborus, of the buttercup family.
hemlock a highly poisonous umbelliferous plant with glaucous spotted stems, white flowers, and finely divided leaves.
hemp a plant yielding a coarse fibre and an oil.
hempweed a climbing plant.
henbane a plant of the nightshade family with amber purple-streaked flowers, noted for its poisonous and narcotic properties.
henbit either of two low-growing weeds with roundish shallowly lobed leaves.
henequen henequin heniquen heniquin mexican agave, its leaf-fibre, used for cordage.
hepatica a flower, aka LIVERWORT > HEPATICAE or HEPATICAS.
herbelet herblet any small herb.
herbose herbous abounding with herbs.
heuchera a N. American plant with heart-shaped leaves and mostly red flowers.
hibiscus any of numerous chiefly tropical herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees of the genus Hibiscus > HIBISCUSES. [L. from Gk. ibiskos, marsh-mallow].
hieracium any plant of the genus Hieracium, the hawkweeds.
hioi a plant of the mint family.
hoarhound horehound a kind of wild flower.
hognut another name for PIGNUT.
hogweed a coarse umbellifer.
hollyhock a plant (genus Althaea) of the mallow family.
hom homa a sacred plant of the ancient Persians. Also HOMA.
honesty a flower with silky round seed-pods.
honewort an umbelliferous plant of the genus Sison, so called because it was used to cure a swelling called a HONE.
hoodia a succulent S. African plant.
hordock see HARDOKE.
horehound see HOARHOUND.
hornwort a rootless water-plant with much-divided submerged leaves.
horokaka a low-growing New Zealand plant with fleshy leaves and pink or white flowers.
horsemint a coarse American plant of the Mint family.
horsetail a waterside plant.
horseweed a common American weed of the composite family.
hortensia a hydrangea of a group of varieties that have large rounded flower heads composed chiefly of sterile florets.
hosta any plant of the liliaceous genus Hosta. [From Austrian botanist N. T. Host].
houseleek a plant of the leek family.
houstonia a small North American plant with blue, white or purple flowers.
hoya a plant of genus Hoya, the wax-plant.
hyacine a hyacinth.
hyacinth a bulbous genus of the lily family.
hydrastis any of various Japanese and N. American plants, such as GOLDENSEAL, having showy foliage and ornamental red fruits.
hydrilla an aquatic plant used as an oxygenator in aquaria and pools.
hyoscyamus any plant of the solanaceous genus Hyoscyamus, of Europe, Asia, and N Africa, including HENBANE.
hypericum a herbaceous plant or shrub.
hyssop an aromatic bitter-tasting labiate herb native to the Mediterranean region, with spikes of small blue flowers.
iberis any plant of the genus Iberis, including candytuft > IBERISES.
impatiens a genus of plants, so called because the elastic capsules burst when touched, and scatter the seeds with considerable force.
imphee any of several southern African varieties of sorghum. [Zulu imfe, sweet cane].
incarvillea any plant of the genus Incarvillea, of the family Bignoniaceae typically having trumpet-shaped flowers borne in clusters on erect stems.
inula a kind of plant, aka ELECAMPANE > INULAS.
ipomoea a genus of twining plants with showy monopetalous flowers, including the morning-glory, the sweet potato, and the cypress vine. [Gk. ipos, a worm, + homoiso, like].
irid any plant of the IRIS family.
ironweed a tall weed with purplish flowers.
isoetes a plant of the QUILLWORT genus. [Gk. isoetes, houseleek].
itchweed a plant, Indian poke.
ivyleaf as in ivyleaf geranium, a geranium plant.
ixora a flowering plant, aka St. Rita and Maltese Cross.
jatropha any plant of the genus Jatropha esp Jatropha curcas whose seeds yield an oil that can be used as a biofuel.
jessamy jasmine; a dandy.
jewelweed a plant of the touch-me-not genus with crimson-spotted yellow flowers.
jimson as in jimson weed, a type of poisonous plant with white flowers and shiny fruits > JIMSONS.
jimpson as in jimpson weed, a type of poisonous plant with white flowers and shiny fruits. No -S.
jointweed an American wild plant.
jonquil a Eurasian amaryllidaceous plant, Narcissus jonquilla with long fragrant yellow or white short-tubed flowers.
juncus any plant of the genus Juncus, rushes > JUNCUSES.
kalanchoe a succulent plant which bears red, yellow or pink clusters on long stems.
kali the prickly saltwort or glasswort > KALIS.
kenaf a fibre-yielding plant of E. Indies, aka AMBARY or AMBARI.
ketmia as in bladder ketmia, a plant with yellow flowers and a bladder-like calyx.
kingcup a meadow flower.
knapweed any of several plants of the genus Centaurea, related to the thistles.
knawel knawe a cornfield weed of the chickweed family. [Ger. Knauel].
kniphofia any plant of the Kniphofia genus, the red-hot poker.
knitbone a name for the plant comfrey.
knotgrass any of several weeds of the genus Polygonum, with wiry jointed creeping stems and small pinkish or whitish flowers in the axils of the leaves.
knotweed a pernicious weed of waterways.
kochia any of several plants whose foliage turns dark red in summer.
korari a native New Zealand flax plant, aka CLADDIE.
krubi krubut an aroid tropical plant with an unpleasant smell.
kudzu an ornamental papilionaceous plant of China and Japan.
ladino a fast-growing clover > LADINOS.
larkspur any of various ranunculaceous plants of the genus Delphinium, with spikes of blue, pink, or white irregular spurred flowers.
laserwort any plant of the umbelliferous genus Laserpitium, the root of which yields a resinous substance of a bitter taste.
lathyrus any plant of the Lathyrus genus, that includes sweet peas.
lavandin a hybrid plant with blue or grey flowers, developed by crossing true lavender with spike lavender; an essential oil extracted from this plant.
lavatera any plant of the genus Lavatera of the family Malvaceae, mallows.
leadplant an American flower.
leadwort a genus of maritime herbs with lead-colored spots on the leaves, and nearly lead-colored flowers.
ledum a plant of the Labrador tea genus.
lespedeza bush clover. [From Lespeder, Governor of East Florida].
lewisia a perennial herb with pink and white flowers. [From the American explorer Meriwether Lewis].
liatris a North American plant with small white flowers.
lilied adorned with lilies.
lily any plant or flower of the genus Lilium.
lilylike like a lily.
limonium a maritime plant with brightly coloured funnel-shaped leaves.
linseed lintseed lint or flax seed.
linum a genus of herbaceous plants including the flax.
liriope a grasslike plant.
lithops a fleshy-leaved plant.
livelong a kind of stone-crop, ORPINE.
liverleaf a woodland plant.
lobelia a garden flower. [From botanist Matthew de Lobel].
locoplant locoweed astragalus or other related plant, that drives cattle mad.
logania any of a family of Australian plants related to the gentians.
loofa loofah luffa a kind of vine: the fibrous gourd-like fruit is used as sponge.
lote lotus.
lotos lotus > LOTOSES.
lotus any of various plants, including certain water-lilies.
lousewort any plant of the genus Pedicularis, of the figwort family.
lovage a kind of herb.
lovevine a twining herb.
lucerne luzern a fodder plant, alfalfa.
luffa see LOOFA.
lunary another name for the plant HONESTY.
lungwort a wild flower with spotted leaves.
lupin lupine any papilionaceous plant of the genus Lupinus.
luzern see LUCERNE.
lychnis a plant of the campion genus Lychnis of the pink family. [Gk. lychnis, rose-campion].
lythrum any of various plants of the loosestrife family.
maca a cruciferous biennial plant, native to the Peruvian Andes; the powdered root of this plant, used as a stimulant and health supplement.
mache lamb's lettuce, corn-salad.
madwort any of various plants believed to cure canine madness.
maguey the century plant, a species of agave.
malanga a tropical plant, aka Mantle of the Queen.
mallow any of various plants of the family Malvaceae and esp. of the genus Malva, typically with hairy stems and leaves and deeply-cleft purple flowers.
malva any plant of the mallow family.
mandrake a poisonous and narcotic Mediterranean plant of the nightshade family.
mangemange a climbing plant of S. Africa, aka Bushman's Mattress.
maranta a genus of tropical plants that includes ARROWROOT. [From Bartollomeo Maranta, 16th-cent. Italian botanist].
marigold a composite plant of genus Calendulam with orange-yellow flowers.
marihuana marijuana Indian hemp; its dried flowers or leaves smoked as an intoxicant.
mariposa any of several liliaceous plants of the genus Calochortus, of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having brightly coloured tulip-like flowers. [Sp. mariposa, butterfly].
marjoram any of various labiate plants of the genus Origanum, aromatic herbs much used in cooking.
marshelder a herbaceous, oily, annual plant native to North America and once cultivated for its edible seeds, aka SUMPWEED.
marshwort a small umbelliferous marsh plant related to celery.
martagon a kind of lily.
marybud a marigold bud.
mashua a tuber plant grown in the Andes.
matfelon matfellon the greater knapweed.
matico a Peruvian plant, allied to the pepper, the leaves of which are used as a styptic and astringent > MATICOS.
mayapple an American plant, the egg-shaped fruit of this.
mayweed a name for various plants including stinking camomile.
meadowsweet a tall fragrant plant growing esp in watery meadows.
medaewart an old name for MEADOWSWEET.
medick a clover-like plant.
melampode black hellebore, Helleborus orientalis.
melastome a tropical flowering plant > MELASTOMES.
melilot a wild flower.
meu the plant SPIGNEL, aka MEUM or BALDMONEY.
milfoil a yarrow, or other species of Achillea, with finely divided leaves.
milkweed any of certain plants with milky juice, esp. sowthistle.
milkwort a plant (genus Polygala) supposed by some to promote the production of milk in women.
miltonia any of various epiphytic orchids of the tropical S. American genus Miltonia, bearing large brilliantly coloured flowers.
mimulus any of various scrophulariaceous plants of the genus Mimulus, cultivated for their yellow or red flowers, aka monkey flower > MIMULUSES. [Gk. mimos, a mime, with L. diminutive suffix -ulus, from the grinning corolla].
mint any plant of the aromatic labiate genus Mentha; (verb) to coin, to invent.
mintlike like mint.
mirabilis a genus of plants, the marvel of Peru > MIRABILISES.
miterwort mitrewort any plant of the genus Mitella, having slender, perennial herbs with a pod slightly resembling a bishop's miter.
monarda a plant of the Monarda genus of N. American aromatic herbs of the mint family. [From N. Monardes (died 1588), Spanish botanist].
moneywort a trailing plant, with rounded opposite leaves and solitary yellow flowers in their axils.
monkshood a plant of the genus Aconitum; aka ACONITE.
montbretia a garden flower of a S. African iridaceous genus.
moonflower a tropical flower, Calonyction aculeatum.
moonseed a climbing plant of the genus Menispermum; -- so called from the crescent-like form of the seeds.
moonwort a wild flower.
moorwort a flower, aka bog rosemary, bog asphodel.
morelle a flowering plant.
moschatel a plant of the genus Adoxa, the flowers of which are pale green, and have a faint musky smell.
mousetail any of various temperate ranunculaceous plants of the genus Myosurus.
mudwort a small herbaceous plant growing on muddy shores.
mugwort a temperate perennial herbaceous plant, Artemisia vulgaris, with aromatic leaves and clusters of small greenish-white flowers.
mullein mullen any of various Mediterranean herbaceous plants of the scrophulariaceous genus Verbascum.
multiflora a type of climbing rose having clusters of small flowers.
muskroot a plant of the genus Adoxa, the flowers of which are pale green, and have a faint musky smell. Also MOSCHATEL.
myosote myosotis a genus of flower, forget-me-not. [Gk. myosotis, mouse-ear, from its furry leaves, from mys, myos a mouse, + ous, otos an ear].
narcissus any of numerous bulbous spring-flowering plants of the genus Narcissus > NARCISSI or NARCISSUSES.
nard an East Indian plant of the valerian family, used from remote ages in Oriental perfumery; an ointment made from this; (verb) to anoint with nard.
nardine of or pertaining to NARD; having the qualities of nard.
nardoo an Australian name for Marsilea drummondii, a four-leaved aquatic plant related to the ferns, sometimes used for food.
navelwort a perennial succulent herb, having round, peltate leaves with a central depression; aka PENNYWORT.
neckweed an American annual weed, with small white flowers and a roundish pod.
nelumbium nelumbo a plant of the Nelumbium genus of waterlilies that includes the sacred lotus. The pl. of NELUMBO is NELUMBOS.
nemesia a garden flower. [Gk. nemesion, a kind of catchfly].
nemophila a plant of a N. American genus of garden annuals.
nenuphar a white or yellow water-lily.
nep catmint.
nepeta any of various labiate plants of the genus Nepeta. [L. nepeta, calamint].
nerine a S. African plant related to the AMARYLLIS. [L. nerine, a nereid].
nettle any of various common weeds (genus Urtica) with stinging hairs; (verb) to annoy.
nettly like a nettle > NETTLIER, NETTLIEST.
nicotiana any plant of the tobacco genus Nicotiana, of the family Solanaceae.
nigella a garden flower. [Fem. of L. nigellus, blackish, from niger black, from the plant's black seeds].
nonsuch nonesuch another name for black medick.
nopal a Central American cactus plant, on which the cochineal insect feeds, and from which it is collected. [Nahuatl nopalli, cactus].
nopalito a small cactus.
nymphaea any plant of the waterlily genus.
oca a South American wood sorrel, cultivated for its edible tubers. [Amer. Sp. f. Quechua ócca].
oenothera a type of S. American plant with yellow flowers that open in the evening.
oilseed a kind of rape.
oncidium an orchid of the tropical American genus Oncidium > ONCIDIUMS.
ongaonga a New Zealand nettle with a severe or fatal sting > ONGAONGAS.
opuntia a genus of cactaceous plants: the prickly pear, or Indian fig. [L. Opuntia (herba, plant) of Opus (Greek Opous), a town of Locris where Pliny said it grew].
orach orache a genus of the goosefoot family. The pl. in both cases is ORACHES.
orchid any plant or flower of the Orchidaceae, a family of monocotyledons, including many tropical epiphytes.
orchis any flower of the Orchis genus. [Gk. orkhis, testicle].
oregano origan origane origanum wild marjoram.
orpin orpine a kind of stone-crop, aka LIVELONG.
orrice orris the Florentine or other iris; its dried rootstock smelling of violets, used in perfumery.
orval the wild flower clary.
oshac the ammoniac plant.
ourali oorali ourari urali urari woorari woorali wourali woorara the plant yielding curare.
oxalis a plant of the wood-sorrel genus. [Gk. oxalis, from oxys, sharp or acid].
oxeye a wild chrysanthmemum with yellow disc and white rays.
oxlip oxslip a flower like the cowslip.
oxtongue any of several plants with rough tongue-shaped leaves.
oxytrope a genus of plants in the legue family, including LOCOWEED.
paeony peony any of various stout perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs constituting the genus Paeonia.
pagle paigle a species of Primula, either the cowslip or the primrose.
palmiet a S. African aloe-like riverside plant of the rush family.
pance paunce pawnce the pansy.
pansied full of pansies.
pansy a name for various species of violet.
papaver a genus of poppies.
parakeelya parakelia a succulent Australian herb.
parataniwha a New Zealand plant with pink and red serrated leaves.
pareira a tropical climbing plant.
paris a plant, herb Paris, once used as a narcotic > PARISES.
parsley a bright-green umbelliferous herb (Carum petroselinum) with finely divided, strongly scented leaves, used in cookery.
paunce see PANCE.
pawnce see PANCE.
pearlwort a name given to several low and inconspicuous herbs of the Chickweed family.
pellitory a low, harmless weed of the nettle family.
pennyroyal an aromatic herb.
pennywort a perennial succulent herb, having round, peltate leaves with a central depression; aka NAVELWORT.
penstemon pentstemon a genus of showy flowers.
penthia another name for the unidentified plant ASTROPHEL.
peony see PAEONY.
peperomia a genus of subtropical herbaceous plants.
perilla a genus of labiate herbs, of which one species is often cultivated for its purple or variegated foliage.
perpetual a type of rose that flowers several times in one season.
perseline purslane.
petunia a S American genus of ornamental plants closely related to tobacco. [Tupi petun, tobaco].
phacelia any of various chiefly annual N. American plants, with clustered blue, violet, or white flowers, freq. grown for ornament.
phlomis any plant of the Phlomis genus of labiate herbs > PHLOMISES. [Gk. phlomis, mullein] .
phlox any plant of the N. American genus Phlox. [Gk. phlox, flame, wallflower].
phormium a tall New Zealand evergreen plant of the agave family, with sword-like leaves.
physalis a plant of the Cape gooseberry genus > PHYSALISES.
pia a tropical plant with a rhizome yielding E. India or Madagascar arrowroot.
picotee a variety of carnation, with petal margins of different color.
pigface a creeping succulent plant with brightly coloured flowers and red fruits.
pignut an umbelliferous plant, aka EARTHNUT.
pigweed a name of several annual weeds.
pilewort a wild plant, used to treats piles.
pimpernel a small red flower of waste ground.
pinedrops a reddish herb of the United States, found parasitic on the roots of pine trees. N.B. no PINEDROP*.
pinesap a reddish fleshy herb, formerly thought to be parasitic on the roots of pine trees, but more probably saprophytic.
pingrass a European weed.
pinkroot a flowering plant, aka WORMROOT.
pinweed any plant of a genus of low North American herbs with branching stems, and very small and abundant leaves and flowers.
piny a peony; (adj.) having e.g. the fragrance of pine > PINIER, PINIEST.
pioney piony a peony.
pipewort an aquatic or marsh herb with soft grass-like leaves.
pitahaya pitaya a giant cactus of Central America.
plantain any of various low-growing plants constituting the genus Plantago.
pogonia a small orchid.
pokeberry an American plant, a species of Phytolacca.
pokeroot pokeweed an aromatic perennial herb of the United States.
polyantha any of large number of dwarf hybrid roses.
polygala any plant of the milkwort genus Polygala.
polygonum any plant of the knot-grass family Polygonaceae.
polygony any plant of the genus Polygonum.
pondweed any plant of the genus Potamogeton.
poppied covered with poppies.
poppy a cornfield plant with large scarlet flowers; (adj.) like pop (music): POPPIER, POPPIEST.
poppyseed the seed of the poppy.
portulaca any plant of the PURSLANE family.
pothos a climbing plant > POTHOSES.
primula any of numerous usu. low perennial plants constituting the genus Primula.
protea a plant of a large S. African genus.
puccoon a plant with a red root and red sap, and bearing a pretty, white flower in early spring, aka BLOODROOT, REDROOT. [Algonquin].
puha sow-thistle.
pulsatilla another name for PASQUEFLOWER.
purpie purpy purslane, or perhaps brooklime.
purslain purslane a pot herb and salad herb.
pusley pussley pussly purslane.
pussytoes a genus of composite herbs > PUSSYTOES. N.B. no PUSSYTOE*.
puttyroot an American orchidaceous plant which flowers in early summer.
pyrethrum a name still applied to various garden flowers, especially varieties of Chrysanthemum.
pyrola any plant of the wintergreen genus. [Dim. of pyrus, pear, from the shape of the leaves].
quamash see CAMAS.
queencup another name for CLINTONIA.
quillwort an aquatic plant with hollow stems.
quinoa a S. American goosefoot, with seeds used as rice. [Sp. spelling of Quechua kinua, kinoa.]
rafflesia any of various stemless leafless parasitic plants, native to Java and Sumatra.
ragweed any of various greyish N. American plants of the genus Ambrosia, of the composite family.
ragwort a common coarse yellow-headed composite weed of pastures.
ramee rami ramie rhea or China grass, a plant of the nettle family.
rampion a wild flower, with a root used in salads.
ramson a broad-leaved species of garlic.
ramtil ramtilla a plant of the Indian subcontinent, cultivated for the oil pressed from the seeds.
raoulia a New Zealand plant.
rattlebox rattlepods any of various tropical and subtropical plants with inflated seedpods within which the seeds rattle.
rauriki sow-thistle.
reate any of several kinds of water-crowfoot.
rebloomer a flower that blooms again, especially in the same growing season.
redleg an arable weed.
redroot a plant with a red root and red sap, and bearing a pretty, white flower in early spring, aka PUCCOON, BLOODROOT.
reseda a flower, mignonette.
restharrow a wild flower.
ribgrass the ribwort plantain.
ribwort a plantain with lanceolate prominently veined leaves, common in grassland.
richweed a herb of the nettle family, having a smooth, juicy, pellucid stem.
ricinus a genus of plants of the Spurge family, containing one species, the castor-oil plant.
riverweed any plant of the genus Podostemon.
rocambole a plant closely related to garlic.
rockcress another name for the plant arabis.
rocket roquette a kind of salad plant.
rodgersia a flowering perennial herb.
roselike like a rose.
rosemary a small fragrant pungent Mediterranean labiate shrub.
roseroot a fleshy-leaved herb, so called because the roots have the odor of roses.
rosinweed the compass-plant, Silphium.
rudbeckia a composite plant of the sunflower family. [From Olaf Rudbeck (1660-1740), Swed. botanist].
rue a plant with medicinal leaves; (verb) to regret.
ruellia a plant of the acanthus family. [From the French botanist Jean Ruel (1479-1537)].
rugosa a type of rose.
ruscus any plant of the genus Ruscus, that includes butcher's broom > RUSCUSES.
rushlike resembling a rush; weak.
rushy rushlike; full or made of rushes > RUSHIER, RUSHIEST.
sabadilla see CEBADILLA.
safflower a thistle-like plant yielding an orange dye.
sage a garden labiate plant (Salvia officinalis) whose grey-green leaves are used as a flavouring; (adj.) wise > SAGER, SAGEST.
saguaro sahuaro a kind of cactus > SAHUAROS.
sainfoin saintfoin a leguminous plant, used as fodder.
salfern a wild flower, aka GROMWELL.
salicornia any plant, such as glasswort, of the Salicornia genus of gooosefoots, found on salt marshes.
salsilla a tropical plant.
saltwort a plant, growing on sandy seashores.
salvia a genus of plants including sage.
samnitis an unknown poisonous plant > SAMNITISES.
samphire sampire a fleshy sea-coast plant; glasswort.
sandbur sandburr sandspur an annual herb.
sandwort any of various small white-flowered plants of the genus Arenaria and several related genera of the pink family.
sanicle a wild flower, with astringent properties. [Gr. sanus, healthy].
santonica the dried unexpanded flower-heads of a species of wormwood.
saponaria a genus of flowers, aka SOAPWORT.
sasanqua a kind of camellia.
satinflower another name for the greater stitchwort.
satinpod a flower, aka HONESTY.
saulge an old name for SAGE.
savory a kind of herb; (adj.) (US) savoury > SAVORIER, SAVORIEST.
saxifrage a kind of rock plant.
scabiosa scabious any wild flower of genus Scabiosa. [L. scabiosus, from scabies, the itch].
scammoniate of or like SCAMMONY, a species of bindweed or convolvulus.
scammony a species of bindweed or convolvulus. [Gk. skammonia].
scilla any plant of the squill genus. [L. scilla, sea onion].
scindapsus any plant of the tropical Asiatic climbing genus Scindapsus, grown as greenhouse or house plants for their leathery heart-shaped variegated leaves.
seablite a coastal plant.
seakale a kind of maritime cabbage.
sedum a genus of plants, mostly perennial, having succulent leaves and cymose flowers. [L. sedum, house-leek].
sego a liliaceous plant of Western North America, and its edible bulb. [Ute].
selfheal a plant with blue flowers.
semsem sesame. [Arabic simsim].
senecio any plant of the genus Senecio, that includes groundsels and ragworts. [L. senecio, old man, groundsel, in ref. to the plant's white pappus].
sengreen the houseleek.
senna the leaves of several leguminous plants of the genus Cassia, used as a cathartic medicine. [Arabic sana].
sesame a plant native to SE Asia, producing seeds used as food and yielding an edible oil.
seseli a kind of umbelliferous plant > SESELIS.
setuale see CETYWALL.
setwall see CETYWALL.
shamrock the national emblem of Ireland, a trifoliate leaf or plant.
shasta a flowering plant of the daisy family.
shaya see CHAY.
shinleaf a perennial herb > SHINLEAFS or SHINLEAVES.
shiso an Asian plant with aromatic leaves that are used in cooking > SHISOS.
shoreweed a plant of the plantain family, found on lakesides.
shortia an American herb.
sida any plant of the Queensland hemp genus Sida, of the mallow family.
sidalcea a plant of the genus Sidalcea of the mallow family.
silene a flowering plant of the genus Silene, including the campions and catchfly.
silkweed another name for MILKWEED.
silphium a plant imported by the Greeks from Cyrenaica and used as a foodstuff and in medicine > SILPHIA or SILPHIUMS. [L. from Gk. silphion].
silverweed a creeping plant with silvery leaves and yellow flowers.
sinningia one of a family of Brazilian plants that includes gloxinia.
sinsemilla a plant yielding marijuana.
skirret a water parsnip with edible roots.
skunkweed a low-growing fetid swamp plant of N. America.
slinkweed rosebay willow-herb or other flower believed to make cattle slink, i.e. give birth prematurely.
slipperwort another name for CALCEOLARIA.
smartweed an acrid plant which produces smarting if applied where the skin is tender.
smilax a genus of perennial climbing plants, usually with a prickly woody stem.
snakemouth a N. American orchid.
snakeroot bistort, milkwort, or any other plant whose root has been thought good for snakebites.
snakeweed a plant with a twisted astringent root, aka BISTORT.
snakewood an East Indian climbing plant having a bitter taste, and supposed to be a remedy for the bite of the cobra, aka LETTER-WOOD.
snapdragon a garden flower, aka ANTIRRHINUM.
snapweed a flowering plant of the US.
sneezewort a herbaceous plant allied to the yarrow, having a strong, pungent smell.
snowdrop a drooping white flower of early spring.
soaproot a perennial herb the root of which is used in Spain as a substitute for soap.
soapwort a tall herb (Saponaria officinalis, or other species) of the pink family, whose roots and leaves contain saponin.
sola solah shola an Indian plant with a pith used in making tropical hats, aka SPONGEWOOD.
solanum any herbaceous plant of the genus Solanum, incl the potato, bittersweet and certain nightshades.
solidago a flower, goldenrod > SOLIDAGOS.
sotol any of several desert plants of the agave family, native to south-western N. America.
sourock sorrel.
sowbread a kind of cyclamen, so called because its tubers are eaten by pigs.
sparaxis a S. African iridaceous plant with star-like flowers and lacerated spathes > SPARAXISES. [LL, from Gk. sparassein, to tear, lacerate].
spearmint a common garden mint used in cooking and flavouring.
spearwort a name given to several species of crowfoot which have spear-shaped leaves.
speedwell any species of the scrophulariaceous genus Veronica, typically blue-flowered.
spicknel spignel an umbelliferous herb having finely divided leaves, common in Europe; aka BALDMONEY and MEU.
spiraea spirea a group of plants, including hardhack, and meadowsweet. [Gk. speiraia, privet].
spongewood an Indian plant with a pith used in making tropical hats.
sprekelia a bulbous plant grown for its striking crimson or white pendent flowers.
spurge a plant of genus Euphorbia, usually having a milky juice which yields powerful emetic and cathartic products.
spurrey spurry an annual herb with whorled filiform leaves, sometimes grown for fodder. SPURRY is also an adjective: spur-like. No comp, but there is a noun SPURRIER, one who makes spurs.
squawroot a scaly parasitic plant found in oak woods in the United States.
squill sea onion, used as expectorant, etc.
squinancy a wild plant believed to cure quinsy.
stachys any labiate plant of the genus Stachys. [Gk. stachys, ear of corn].
stapelia any of various succulent southern African plants constituting the genus Stapelia. [From the Dutch botanist J. B. van Stapel (d 1636)].
staragen the tarragon plant.
starwort any plant of the genus Aster.
statice sea lavender. [L. statice, thrift, from Gk. statike].
stevia a S. American plant cultivated for its sweet-tasting leaves.
stickseed any of various weedy herbs of the borage family.
stickweed any of several plants, such as beggar's lice, with adhesive seeds.
stingy a stinging nettle.
stinkweed any foul-smelling plant.
stitchwort a plant of the chickweed genus.
stokesia a perennial herb.
stonecrop a yellow flower of rockeries etc.
stramony stramonium thorn apple, and its leaves used in medicine.
strapwort a seaside plant of the pink family.
strawflower any Australian composite flowering plant of the genus Helichrysum.
succory chicory.
sumpweed a marsh plant.
sunchoke the Jerusalem artichoke, a type of sunflower.
sundew an insectivorous bog-plant.
sundrops an American evening primrose with flowers that open at sunset. N.B. no SUNDROP*.
sunflower a composite plant (genus Helianthus) or its large head with yellow rays and edible seeds from which an oil is extracted.
sunn an E. Indian plant with tough fibre used in cordage.
superweed a hybrid plant that contains genes for herbicide resistance.
swallowwort a kind of vine with brownish-purple flowers.
tagetes a garden flower. [L. Tages, an Etruscan god]. N.B. no TAGETE*.
tampala an annual herb.
tansy a kind of flower.
taraxacum a plant of the dandelion genus.
tarragon a kind of herb. [Arabic tarkhan].
tarweed a resinous, composite Californian plant.
teaberry wintergreen; the wintergreen berry.
teasel teazel teazle a plant of the genus Dipsacus, with prickly flowers; (verb) to raise a nap with teazel > TEASELED or TEASELLED; TEAZELED or TEAZELLED; TEAZLED.
teel til the sesame plant.
thale as in thale cress, a cruciferous wall plant.
thickleaf any of various succulent plants of the genus Crassula > THICKLEAVES.
thimbleweed any of various anemones with cylindrical seed heads.
thistle a prickly composite plant with pink, white, yellow but usu purple flower-heads.
thistly full of thistles > THISTLIER, THISTLIEST.
thrissel thristle thistle.
thyme any member of the labiate genus Thymus.
tidytips a California composite plant, the flower of which has yellow rays tipped with white > TIDYTIPS. N.B. no TIDYTIP*.
til see TEEL.
tillandsia any plant of the mainly epiphytic tropical American genus Tillandsia of the pineapple family.
timbo a S. American sapindaceous climbing plant > TIMBOS.
tithonia a small herb.
toadflax a plant of the figwort family, resembling a snapdragon.
toothwort a plant whose roots are fancied to resemble teeth, as certain plants of the genus Lathraea, and various species of Dentaria.
tormentil a small POTENTILLA of heaths and moors having four-petalled yellow flowers and strongly astringent roots.
trefoil a three-leaved plant; a three-lobed architectural ornament.
trifolium any leguminous plant of the large genus Trifolium, characterized by trifoliate leaves > TRIFOLIUMS or TRIFOLIA.
trifoly sweet trefoil.
trillium a genus of liliaceous plants; the three-leaved nightshade; -- so called because all the parts of the plant are in threes.
tritoma a flowering plant, aka KNIPHOFIA.
tritonia a S. African iridaceous plant.
trollius the globeflower.
tuberose a Mexican amaryllid with fragrant, creamy-white flowers.
tule a large American bulrush. [Sp. f. Nahuatl tollin, tullin].
tulip any plant or flower of the bulbous liliaceous genus Tulipa, with showy, usu solitary, flowers.
tuliplike like a TULIP.
tulsi a type of BASIL.
turnsole heliotrope; -- so named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward the sun.
tutsan any of several plants credited with healing properties, esp. a St John's wort with large aromatic leaves and a berry-like fruit, aka PARKLEAVES.
twayblade any one of several orchidaceous plants which have only two leaves, as the species of Listera and of Liparis.
udo a Japanese plant with edible shoots > UDOS.
urali see OORALI.
urari see OORALI.
urena any plant of the tropical genus Urena of the mallow family, yielding a jute substitute. [Malayalam uren].
urtica any plant of the nettle genus > URTICAS.
valerian a flower; its roots are used as sedative.
valeric relating to VALERIAN.
vanda a tropical orchid. [Hindi vanda, mistletoe].
venidium a plant native to S. America with yellow or cream flowers.
veratrum a genus of coarse liliaceous herbs having very poisonous qualities > VERATRUMS. [L. veratrum, hellebore].
verbascum another name for MULLEIN.
verbena a plant of the VERVAIN genus. [L. verbena, a leafy twig, sacred bough].
veronica any of several herbs of the speedwell genus.
vervain verven a wild verbena, believed to have magical powers.
vetch any of a number of leguminous flowers.
vetchling any small leguminous plant of the genus Lathyrus, especially L. nissolia.
vetchy consisting of vetches or of pea straw > VETCHIER, VETCHIEST.
vinca a genus of plant, including periwinkle.
vinelike like a VINE.
violet any plant or flower of the genus Viola.
viscaria any plant of the Eurasian perennial genus Viscaria > low-growing, with pink, white, or purple flowers.
wald weld a scentless species of MIGNONETTE, yielding a yellow dye. WELD is also a verb: to join two pieces of metal by fusing.
wallpepper a small Eurasian crassulaceous plant, having creeping stems, yellow flowers, and acrid-tasting leaves.
wallwort dwarf elder, aka DANEWORT.
wartwort a name given to several plants thought to be a cure for warts.
waterleaf any plant of the American genus Hydrophyllum, herbs having white or pale blue bell-shaped flowers > WATERLEAFS.
waterlily a name commonly given to the different species of Nymphaea and Nuphar.
waterweed any plant with very small flowers and leaves growing in ponds, etc, esp ANACHARIS.
waxflower any of various plants with waxy flowers.
waxplant any of several plants of the genus Hoya, with clusters of waxy white or pink flowers.
waxweed an annual herb.
waybread the common dooryard plantain.
william as in sweet william, a flowering plant.
willowherb a perennial herb of the evening primrose family with willow-like leaves and seeds.
wincopipe a little red flower, probably the scarlet pimpernel.
wintergreen an aromatic plant of genus Pyrola, yielding a stimulant oil.
wistaria wisteria an ornamental climbing plant. [From Caspar Wistar (or Wister) (1761-1818), US anatomist].
witchweed a yellow-flowered plant of the snapdragon family.
withwind withywind bindweed or other climbing plant.
woad a broad-leafed plant yielding a blue dye.
woadwax woodwax woodwaxen woadwaxen dyer's greenweed.
wolfsbane a kind of aconite.
woodroof woodruff a small herb having a pleasant taste, sometimes used for flavoring wine.
woodwax see WOADWAX.
woodwaxen see WOADWAX.
woorali see OORALI.
woorara see OORALI.
woorari see OORALI.
wormroot a flowering plant, aka PINKROOT.
wormseed any one of several plants whose seeds have the property of expelling worms from the stomach and intestines.
wormwood the bitter plant Artemisia absinthium, formerly used as a vermifuge.
woundwort any of several plants popularly held to have wound-healing properties.
wourali see OORALI.
xanthoxyl zanthoxyl a plant of a genus of the rue family found in Brazil, in particular the prickly-ash or Hercules club.
yage a tropical vine of the Amazon region.
yarr the corn spurrey.
yarrow a wild flower.
yautia a tropical plant.
yellowweed any of various yellow-flowered plants, such as the ragwort in Europe and some species of goldenrod in the U.S.
yellowwort a wild flower.
yuca yucca any plant of the genus Yucca of plants of the family Liliaceae, native to Mexico.
zanthoxyl see XANTHOXYL.
zebrina a trailing or creeping Central American plant.
zedoary certain species of CURCUMA, native to the Indian subcontinent, China, etc, whose rootstocks are aromatic, bitter and pungent.
zingiber any plant of the Zingiber or ginger family. [L. zingiber, from Gk. zingiberis, ginger].
zinnia a garden flower.
zygocactus a kind of cactus, aka the Christmas cactus > ZYGOCACTI or ZYGOCACTUSES.