snakeroot

/ˌsnækˈrut/

Definitions of snakeroot

1. noun

   a plant of the genus Sanicula having palmately compound leaves and unisexual flowers in panicled umbels followed by bristly fruit; reputed to have healing powers
   synonyms: sanicle

   types:

   Sanicula arctopoides, footsteps-of-spring

   sanicle of northwestern United States and British Columbia having yellow flowers

   Sanicula bipinnatifida, purple sanicle

   sanicle of northwestern United States and British Columbia having yellow or red or purple flowers

   European sanicle, Sanicula Europaea

   sanicle of Europe and Asia having white to pale pink flowers

   type of:

   herb, herbaceous plant

   a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
2. noun

   any of various North American plants of the genus Liatris having racemes or panicles of small discoid flower heads
   synonyms: blazing star, button snakeroot, gay-feather, gayfeather

   types:

   Liatris punctata, dotted gayfeather

   herb with many stems bearing narrow slender wands of crowded rose-lavender flowers; central United States and Canada to Texas and northern Mexico

   Liatris pycnostachya, dense blazing star

   perennial of southeastern and central United States having very dense spikes of purple flowers; often cultivated for cut flowers

   type of:

   wild flower, wildflower

   wild or uncultivated flowering plant