ranunculus ficaria

3 definitions found

ranunculus ficaria - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pilewort \Pile"wort`\, n. (Bot.)
     A plant (Ranunculus Ficaria of Linn[ae]us) whose tuberous
     roots have been used in poultices as a specific for the
     piles. --Forsyth.
     [1913 Webster]

  Celandine \Cel"an*dine\ (s[e^]l"[a^]n*d[imac]n), n. [OE.
     celidoine, OF. celidoine, F. ch['e]lidoine, fr. L. chelidonia
     (sc. herba), fr. chelidonius pertaining to the swallow, Gr.
     chelido`nios, fr. chelidw`n the swallow, akin to L. hirundo a
     swallow.] (Bot.)
     A perennial herbaceous plant (Chelidonium majus) of the
     poppy family, with yellow flowers. It is used as a medicine
     in jaundice, etc., and its acrid saffron-colored juice is
     used to cure warts and the itch; -- called also greater celandine
      and swallowwort.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Lasser celandine, the pilewort (Ranunculus Ficaria).
        [1913 Webster]

ranunculus ficaria - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Ranunculus ficaria
      n 1: perennial herb native to Europe but naturalized elsewhere
           having heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers resembling
           buttercups; its tuberous roots have been used as a poultice
           to relieve piles [syn: lesser celandine, pilewort,
           Ranunculus ficaria]