GLASSWORT

glasswort, samphire, Salicornia europaea

(noun) fleshy maritime plant having fleshy stems with rudimentary scalelike leaves and small spikes of minute flowers; formerly used in making glass

saltwort, barilla, glasswort, kali, kelpwort, Salsola kali, Salsola soda

(noun) bushy plant of Old World salt marshes and sea beaches having prickly leaves; burned to produce a crude soda ash

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

glasswort (countable and uncountable, plural glassworts)

Any plant of the salt-tolerant genus Salicornia, once burned to produce the ash used to make soda glass.

Other salt-tolerant plants, especially those used to produce such ash.

Species of the European genus Sarcocornia

Species of the Australian genus Tecticornia

Arthrocnemum subterminale (Parish's glasswort)

Eriogonum salicornioides (glasswort buckwheat)

Kali turgida, formerly Salsola kali

Other salt-tolerant plants, called samphire.

rock samphire (Crithmum maritimum)

golden samphire (Inula crithmoides, now Limbarda crithmoides)

Synonyms

• (Salicornia): marsh samphire

Source: Wiktionary

Glass"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Definition: A seashore plant of the Spinach family (Salicornia herbacea), with succulent jointed stems; also, a prickly plant of the same family (Salsola Kali), both formerly burned for the sake of the ashes, which yield soda for making glass and soap.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition