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