glasswort

2 definitions found

glasswort - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Glasswort \Glass"wort`\, n. (Bot.)
     A seashore plant of the Spinach family (Salicornia herbacea
     ), with succulent jointed stems; also, a prickly
     plant of the same family (Salsola Kali), both formerly
     burned for the sake of the ashes, which yield soda for making
     glass and soap.
     [1913 Webster]

glasswort - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  glasswort
      n 1: bushy plant of Old World salt marshes and sea beaches
           having prickly leaves; burned to produce a crude soda ash
           [syn: saltwort, barilla, glasswort, kali,
           kelpwort, Salsola kali, Salsola soda]
      2: fleshy maritime plant having fleshy stems with rudimentary
         scalelike leaves and small spikes of minute flowers; formerly
         used in making glass [syn: glasswort, samphire,
         Salicornia europaea]