birthwort (redirected from birthworts)

birth·wort  (bûrthwûrt, -wôrt)

n.

Any of several herbs or woody vines of the genus Aristolochia having showy, malodorous, purplish-brown to yellowish flowers with peculiar or unusual shapes. The European species A. clematitis was used as a folk medicine to aid childbirth.

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birthwort [ˈbɜːθˌwɜːt]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of several climbing plants of the genus Aristolochia, esp A. clematitis of Europe, once believed to ease childbirth: family Aristolochiaceae

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

birthwort - creeping plant having curving flowers thought to resemble fetuses; native to Europe; naturalized Great Britain and eastern North America Aristolochia clematitis Aristolochia, genus Aristolochia - birthworts; Dutchman's-pipe Aristolochia durior, Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutchman's-pipe, pipe vine - hardy deciduous vine having large leaves and flowers with the calyx tube curved like the bowl of a pipe Aristolochia serpentaria, Virginia serpentaria, Virginia serpentary, Virginia snakeroot - birthwort of the eastern United States woodlands vine - a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface