[fyoo-mi-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] 
| any plant of the genus Fumaria, esp. a delicate herb, F. officinalis, having finely dissected, grayish leaves and spikes of purplish flowers. |
| fu·mi·to·ry (fyōō'mĭ-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) n. pl. fu·mi·to·ries An herb (Fumaria officinalis) native to Eurasia, having finely divided leaves and small, spurred, purplish flowers. Also called earth smoke. [Middle English fumetere, from Old French fumeterre, from Medieval Latin fūmus terrae : Latin fūmus, smoke + Latin terrae, genitive of terra, dry land, earth; see ters- in Indo-European roots.] |
fumitory
any of several plant species of the genus Fumaria of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) but, most commonly, F. officinalis, a 90-centimetre- (3-foot-) tall, climbing annual plant with lacy leaves and spikelike sprays of white or pinkish tubular flowers. F. officinalis, native to Europe and Asia, now grows wild in parts of North America, having escaped from gardens. Once regarded as a medicinal herb, it was also used in Great Britain, boiled in water or milk, as a cosmetic.
Learn more about fumitory with a free trial on Britannica.com.
