Jalap

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Jalap \Jal"ap\, n. [F., fr. Sp. jalapa; -- so called from
     Jalapa, a town in Mexico, whence it was first obtained.]
     (Med.)
     The tubers of the Mexican plant {Ipom[oe]a purga} (or
     {Exogonium purga}) of the family {Convolvulaceae}, a climber
     much like the morning-glory. The abstract, extract, and


     powder, prepared from the tubers, are well known purgative
     (cathartic) medicines, and are also called jalap. Other
     species of {Ipom[oe]a} yield several inferior kinds of jalap,
     as the {Ipom[oe]a Orizabensis}, and {Ipom[oe]a tuberosa}.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {False jalap}, the root of {Mirabilis Jalapa}, four-o'clock,
        or marvel of Peru.
        [1913 Webster]