squawroot

[skwaw-root, -roo t]

noun

a fleshy, leafless plant, Conopholis americana, of the broomrape family, native to eastern North America, having a stout, yellowish, conelike stalk of lipped flowers, and growing in clusters, especially under oaks.
the blue cohosh.See under cohosh.

Origin of squawroot

1805–15; squaw + root¹, from its former use by Indians in treating women