samphire

2 definitions found

samphire - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Samphire \Sam"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [F. l'herbe de Saint
     Pierre. See Saint, and Petrel.] (Bot.)
     (a) A fleshy, suffrutescent, umbelliferous European plant
         (Crithmum maritimum). It grows among rocks and on
         cliffs along the seacoast, and is used for pickles.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
                                                    --Shak.
         [1913 Webster]
     (b) The species of glasswort (Salicornia herbacea); --
         called in England marsh samphire.
     (c) A seashore shrub (Borrichia arborescens) of the West
         Indies.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Golden samphire. See under Golden.
        [1913 Webster]

samphire - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  samphire
      n 1: 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]