swallowwort

American  

[swol-oh-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈswɒl oʊˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

1. celandine.

2. any of several plants of the milkweed family, especially a climbing vine, Cynanchum nigrum black swallowwort, native to Europe, having small, brownish flowers.

---

swallowwort British  

/ ˈswɒləʊˌwɜːt /

noun

1. any of several Eurasian vines of the genus Cynanchum, esp C. nigrum, having small brownish-purple flowers: family Asclepiadaceae

2. a related European herbaceous plant, Vincetoxicum officinale (or Cynanchum vincetoxicum ), having an emetic root

3. another name for greater celandine

---

Etymology

Origin of swallowwort

First recorded in 1540–50; swallow ² + wort ²

Example Sentences

Around this time on a recent Thursday, a dozen people clustered on one side of the falls, along two ledges that were blanketed in snakeroot, yellow jewelweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed and pale swallowwort.

From New York Times