squawroot

[ skwaw-root, -root ]

noun
  1. a fleshy, leafless plant, Conopholis americana, of the broomrape family, native to eastern North America, having a stout, yellowish, conelike stalk of lipped flowers, and growing in clusters, especially under oaks.

  2. the blue cohosh.: See under cohosh.

Origin of squawroot

1
1805–15; squaw + root1, from its former use by Indians in treating women

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024