COLCHICUM

Colchicum, genus Colchicum

(noun) chiefly fall-blooming perennial cormous herbs; sometimes placed in family Colchicaceae

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

colchicum (countable and uncountable, plural colchicums)

(countable) Any of several flowers of the genus Colchicum.

(uncountable, medicine) The dried seed of the poisonous meadow saffron, Colchicum autumnale, used medicinally.

Source: Wiktionary

Col"chi*cum, n. Etym: [L., a plant with a poisonous root, fr. Colchicus Colchian, fr. Colchis, Gr. (Bot.)

Definition: A genus of bulbous-rooted plants found in many parts of Europe, including the meadow saffron.

Note: Preparations made from the poisonous bulbs and seeds, and perhaps from the flowers, of the Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron) are used as remedies for gout and rheumatism.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition