ragwort

American  

[rag-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈrægˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

1. any of various composite plants of the genus Senecio, as S. jacobaea, of the Old World, having yellow flowers and irregularly lobed leaves, or S. aureus golden ragwort, of North America, also having yellow flowers.

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ragwort British  

/ ˈræɡˌwɜːt /

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Senecio , esp S. jacobaea of Europe, that have yellow daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites) See also groundsel

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Etymology

Origin of ragwort

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at rag ¹, wort ²

Example Sentences

Once, while cycling to meet a friend at a pub, England spied 50 caterpillars on a ragwort plant.

From Science Magazine • May 20, 2024

An impenetrable tangle of tansy ragwort, a noxious weed toxic to people and livestock, crowds the fence line.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

You’ll see pollinator gardens and patches tucked into smaller areas, a shady golden ragwort forest, a stream and floating wetlands that help to support fish and crabs.

From Washington Post • Mar. 10, 2022

By 2008, Knepp was suffused by weeds such as ragwort, whose vivid yellow flowers are great for pollinators but can kill livestock in the rare event that they are eaten in large amounts.

From The Guardian • Feb. 25, 2020

And so we walk through the woods, ragwort steeds following.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black