celandine

cel·an·dine   (sěl'ən-dīn', -dēn')    n.   A perennial Eurasian herb (Chelidonium majus) having deeply divided leaves, showy yellow flowers, and yellow-orange latex. Also called swallowwort. The lesser celandine. [Middle English celidoine, from Old French, from Medieval Latin celidōnia, from Latin chelīdonia, feminine of chelīdonium, from Greek khelīdonion, from khelīdōn, swallow (from the association by ancient writers of the blossoming of the plant with the return of the swallows in spring); see ghel-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Main Entry: cel·an·dine
Pronunciation: 'sel-&n-"dIn, -"dEn
Function: noun
: a yellow-flowered biennial Eurasian herb (Chelidoniummajus) of the poppy family naturalized in the eastern U.S. that has been used medicinally especially as a diuretic —see CHELIDONIUM 2

celandine

any of several distinct flowering plants of similar appearance, mostly members of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). The greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) is native to deciduous woods of Europe and Asia and is grown as a garden wildflower. Once a valued plant of the Old World herbalist for its reputed power to remove warts, it was formerly known as wartweed. Its orange-coloured sap contains alkaloids that are possibly poisonous. The plants are herbaceous perennials with coarsely toothed divided leaves and four-petaled yellow blooms about 2.5 cm (1 inch) across. Celandine produces narrow, thin seed pods with many small, shiny, black seeds that have a white appendage. The appendage is attractive to ants, which aid in seed dispersal.

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