Scammony

2 definitions found

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

  Scammony \Scam"mo*ny\ (sk[a^]m"m[-o]*n[y^]), n. [F.
     scammon['e]e, L. scammonia, scammonea, Gr. skammwni`a.]
     1. (Bot.) A species of bindweed or {Convolvulus}
        ({Convolvulus Scammonia}).
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. An inspissated sap obtained from the root of the
        {Convolvulus Scammonia}, of a blackish gray color, a
        nauseous smell like that of old cheese, and a somewhat
        acrid taste. It is used in medicine as a cathartic.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  scammony
       n 1: tropical American morning glory [syn: {Ipomoea orizabensis}]
       2: resin from the root of Convolvulus scammonia
       3: twining plant of Asia Minor having cream to purple flowers
          and long thick roots yielding a cathartic resin [syn: {Convolvulus
          scammonia}]