toothwort

American  

[tooth-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈtuθˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

1. a European plant, Lathraea squamaria, of the broomrape family, having a rootstock covered with toothlike scales.

2. Also called pepperroot.  any of several plants belonging to the genus Dentaria, of the mustard family, having toothlike projections upon the creeping rootstock.

---

toothwort British  

/ ˈtuːθˌwɜːt /

noun

1. a parasitic European scrophulariaceous plant, Lathraea squamaria , having no green parts, scaly cream or pink stems, pinkish flowers, and a rhizome covered with toothlike scales

2. any North American or Eurasian plant of the genus Dentaria, having creeping rhizomes covered with toothlike projections: family Brassicaceae (crucifers) See also crinkleroot

---

Etymology

Origin of toothwort

First recorded in 1590–1600; tooth + wort ²

Example Sentences

He seemed particularly happy about toothwort, a flowering plant whose root has a horseradishlike bite.

From New York Times • Jul. 11, 2013

The delicate blossoms of the wood anemone might at first be confounded with those of the toothwort by the careless observer, but a moment's reflection will quickly distinguish them.

From The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits by Parsons, Mary Elizabeth