milk vetch

American  

noun

1. a European plant, Astragalus glycyphyllos, of the legume family, believed to increase the secretion of milk in goats.

2. any herb of certain allied genera.

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milk vetch British  

noun

1. any of various leguminous plants of the genus Astragalus, esp A. glycyphyllos, with clusters of purple, white, or yellowish flowers: formerly reputed to increase milk production in goats

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Etymology

Origin of milk vetch

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

That specificity poses a problem: Deerweed and milk vetch are disturbance plants, which means they require some kind of soil disturbance — like fire — to sprout and outgrow the other plants around them.

From Los Angeles Times

Efforts to determine the full extent of the damage in milk vetch and frog habitat have been muddled by a confusing overlap of county, state and federal jurisdictions, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times

Where Carol imagines a wrought iron accent bench in the backyard, Diane intends a primeval forest of pawpaw and milk vetch.

From New York Times

She recognized a few of them—milk vetch, aralia root, sage.

From Literature

The caterpillars feed upon the leaves of oak and Astragalus or milk vetch.

From Project Gutenberg