FUMITORY

fumitory, fumewort, fumeroot, Fumaria officinalis

(noun) delicate European herb with greyish leaves and spikes of purplish flowers; formerly used medicinally

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

fumitory (plural fumitories)

A plant of the taxonomic genus Fumaria, which are annual herbaceous flowering plants in the family Papaveraceae, native to temperate Europe and Asia.

Source: Wiktionary


Fu"mi*to*ry, n. Etym: [OE. fumetere, F. fumeterre, prop., smoke of the ground, fr. L. fumus smoke + terra earth. See Fume, and Terrace.] (Bot.)

Definition: The common uame of several species of the genus Fumaria, annual herbs of the Old World, with finely dissected leaves and small flowers in dense racemes or spikes. F. officinalis is a common species, and was formerly used as an antiscorbutic. Climbing fumitory (Bot.), the Alleghany vine (Adlumia cirrhosa); a biennial climbing plant with elegant feathery leaves and large clusters of pretty white or pinkish flowers looking like grains of rice.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

14 March 2025

PARASITISM

(noun) the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage)


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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