rattlesnake plantain

3 definitions found

rattlesnake plantain - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Plantain \Plan"tain\, n. [F., fr. L. plantago. Cf. Plant.]
     (Bot.)
     Any plant of the genus Plantago, but especially the
     Plantago major, a low herb with broad spreading radical
     leaves, and slender spikes of minute flowers. It is a native
     of Europe, but now found near the abode of civilized man in
     nearly all parts of the world.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Indian plantain. (Bot.) See under Indian.
  
     Mud plantain, a homely North American aquatic plant
        (Heteranthera reniformis), having broad, reniform
        leaves.
  
     Rattlesnake plantain, an orchidaceous plant (Goodyera  pubescens
        ), with the leaves blotched and spotted with
        white.
  
     Ribwort plantain. See Ribwort.
  
     Robin's plantain, the Erigeron bellidifolium, a common
        daisylike plant of North America.
  
     Water plantain, a plant of the genus Alisma, having acrid
        leaves, and formerly regarded as a specific against
        hydrophobia. --Loudon.
        [1913 Webster]

  Rattlesnake \Rat"tle*snake`\ (r[a^]t"t'l*sn[=a]k`), n. (Zool.)
     Any one of several species of venomous American snakes
     belonging to the genera Crotalus and Caudisona, or
     Sistrurus; sometimes also called rattler. They have a
     series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail
     which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken. The common
     rattlesnake of the Northern United States (Crotalus horridus
     ), and the diamondback rattlesnake (also called
     diamondback rattler, and diamondback) of the South and
     East (Crotalus adamanteus) and West (Crotalus atrox), are
     the best known. See Illust. of Fang.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Ground rattlesnake (Zool.), a small rattlesnake (Caudisona  miliaria
         or Sistrurus miliaria) of the Southern United
        States, having a small rattle. It has nine large scales on
        its head.
  
     Rattlesnake fern (Bot.), a common American fern
        (Botrychium Virginianum) having a triangular decompound
        frond and a long-stalked panicle of spore cases rising
        from the middle of the frond.
  
     Rattlesnake grass (Bot.), a handsome American grass
        (Glyceria Canadensis) with an ample panicle of rather
        large ovate spikelets, each one composed of imbricated
        parts and slightly resembling the rattle of the
        rattlesnake. Sometimes called quaking grass.
  
     Rattlesnake plantain (Bot.), See under Plantain.
  
     Rattlesnake root (Bot.), a name given to certain American
        species of the composite genus Prenanthes (Prenanthes  alba
         and Prenanthes serpentaria), formerly asserted to
        cure the bite of the rattlesnake. Called also lion's  foot
        , gall of the earth, and white lettuce.
  
     Rattlesnake's master (Bot.)
     (a) A species of Agave (Agave Virginica) growing in the
         Southern United States.
     (b) An umbelliferous plant (Eryngium yuccaefolium) with
         large bristly-fringed linear leaves.
     (c) A composite plant, the blazing star (Liatris   squarrosa
         ).
  
     Rattlesnake weed (Bot.), a plant of the composite genus
        Hieracium (Hieracium venosum); -- probably so named
        from its spotted leaves. See also Snakeroot.
        [1913 Webster]

rattlesnake plantain - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  rattlesnake plantain
      n 1: any of several small temperate and tropical orchids having
           mottled or striped leaves and spikes of small yellowish-
           white flowers in a twisted raceme [syn: rattlesnake plantain
           , helleborine]