milkwort (redirected from common milkworts)

milk·wort  (mlkwûrt, -wôrt)

n.

Any of various plants of the genus Polygala, having variously colored, irregular flowers with two petaloid sepals.

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[From the belief that it increases human lactation.]

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milkwort [ˈmɪlkˌwɜːt]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of several plants of the genus Polygala, having small blue, pink, or white flowers with two petal-like sepals: family Polygalaceae. They were formerly believed to increase milk production in cows See also senega

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

milkwort - any of various plants of the genus Polygala genus Polygala, Polygala - type genus of the Polygalaceae: milkwort; senega; snakeroot Polygala alba, senega - perennial bushy herb of central and southern United States having white flowers with green centers and often purple crest; similar to Seneca snakeroot candyweed, orange milkwort, Polygala lutea, yellow bachelor's button, yellow milkwort - bog plant of pine barrens of southeastern United States having spikes of irregular yellow-orange flowers bird-on-the-wing, flowering wintergreen, fringed polygala, gaywings, Polygala paucifolia - common trailing perennial milkwort of eastern North America having leaves like wintergreen and usually rosy-purple flowers with winged sepals Polygala senega, Seneca snakeroot, senega root, senega snakeroot, Seneka snakeroot, senga root - eastern North American plant having a terminal cluster of small white flowers and medicinal roots common milkwort, gand flower, Polygala vulgaris - small European perennial with numerous branches having racemes of blue, pink or white flowers; formerly reputed to promote human lactation subshrub, suffrutex - low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base