fleabane

American  

[flee-beyn] / ˈfliˌbeɪn /

noun

1. any of various composite plants, as Pulicaria dysenterica, of Europe, or Erigeron philadelphicus, of the U.S., reputed to destroy or drive away fleas.

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fleabane British  

/ ˈfliːˌbeɪn /

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Erigeron , such as E. acer , having purplish tubular flower heads with orange centres: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. any of several plants of the related genus Pulicaria , esp the Eurasian P. dysenterica , which has yellow daisy-like flower heads

3. US name: horseweed.  a related plant, Conyza (or Erigeron ) canadensis , with small white tubular flower heads

4. any of various other plants reputed to ward off fleas

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Etymology

Origin of fleabane

First recorded in 1540–50; flea + bane

Example Sentences

The sense of purposeful imperfection begins as you leave through the front door to walk down a stone path: poofs of erigeron — fleabane — with tiny daisylike flowers fizz from between ancient stones.

From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2021

Burdock and turkey tail mushrooms, stellar jays and golden fleabane.

From New York Times • Nov. 6, 2019

Desert wildflowers, including globe-shaped yellow sand verbena, daisylike purple fleabane and violet lupine, bloomed in the dunes.

From New York Times • Aug. 26, 2019

The result: knee-high waves of goldenrod, aster, orchard grass and fleabane.

From Time Magazine Archive

Between them and the stream itself stood half-grown clumps of purple loosestrife and fleabane, which would not flower for nearly two months yet.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams