| 1. | Also called adder's-tongue, trout lily. any of several North American lilies of the genus Erythronium, having nodding flowers and usually mottled leaves. |
| 2. | a related Old World plant, E. dens-canis, having purplish flowers. |
| dogtooth violet n. Any of several plants of the genus Erythronium, having leaves with reddish blotches and nodding, colorful, solitary, lilylike flowers on leafless stems. Also called adder's-tongue, trout lily. |
dogtooth violet
genus of about 20 species of spring-blooming plants of the family Liliaceae, commonly known as dog's tooth violet. All the species are native to North America except for the purple- or pink-flowered dog's tooth violet of Europe (E. dens-canis). The nodding flowers, usually one to a plant or in small clusters, range in colour from white to purple. The two leaves, borne at the base of the plant, often are covered with white or brown spots. The fruit is a pod. The common dog's tooth violet, or adder's tongue, of North America is E. americanum. It has yellow flowers and brown-mottled leaves. Several species of Erythronium are grown as rock-garden ornamentals.
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