milkwort

Other forms: milkworts

Definitions of milkwort

1. noun

   any of various plants of the genus Polygala
   types:

   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

   Polygala lutea, candyweed, orange milkwort, yellow bachelor's button, yellow milkwort

   bog plant of pine barrens of southeastern United States having spikes of irregular yellow-orange flowers

   Polygala paucifolia, bird-on-the-wing, flowering wintergreen, fringed polygala, gaywings

   common trailing perennial milkwort of eastern North America having leaves like wintergreen and usually rosy-purple flowers with winged sepals

   Polygala senega, Seneca snakeroot, Seneka snakeroot, senega root, senega snakeroot, senga root

   eastern North American plant having a terminal cluster of small white flowers and medicinal roots

   Polygala vulgaris, common milkwort, gand flower

   small European perennial with numerous branches having racemes of blue, pink or white flowers; formerly reputed to promote human lactation

   type of:

   subshrub, suffrutex

   low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base