celandine

celandine
/sel"euhn duyn', -deen'/, n.
1. Also called greater celandine, swallowwort. an Old World plant, Chelidonium majus, of the poppy family, having yellow flowers.
2. Also called lesser celandine. an Old World plant, Ranunculus ficaria, of the buttercup family, having fleshy, heart-shaped leaves and solitary yellow flowers.
[1275-1325; ME selandyne, var. of celydon < L chelidonia greater celandine, chelidonium lesser celandine < Gk chelidónion, deriv. of chelidón swallow; said to be so called because it blooms when the swallows return in spring]

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plant
 any of several distinct flowering plants of similar appearance, mostly members of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). The greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) is native to deciduous woods of Europe and Asia and is grown as a garden wildflower. Once a valued plant of the Old World herbalist for its reputed power to remove warts, it was formerly known as wartweed. Its orange-coloured sap contains alkaloids that are possibly poisonous. The plants are herbaceous perennials with coarsely toothed divided leaves and four-petaled yellow blooms about 2.5 cm (1 inch) across. Celandine produces narrow, thin seed pods with many small, shiny, black seeds that have a white appendage. The appendage is attractive to ants, which aid in seed dispersal.

      The celandine poppies, species of the genus Stylophorum, are native to North America and China. The plants resemble Chelidonium but have flowers twice the size and two-paired, much-divided leaves on the stem below the flower cluster and basal leaves. Celandine poppies have orange-yellow sap. Stylophorum diphyllum is the sole species of the genus in the Western Hemisphere; it is grown as a garden flower, as are several Asian species, in rich, moist soil and partial shade.

      The lesser celandine, or pilewort (Ranunculus ficaria), is a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It has heart-shaped leaves and typical buttercup flowers. Native to Europe, it has become naturalized in North America.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Celandine — is a common name for three species of flowers: *Greater celandine, Chelidonium majus , in the poppy family *Lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria , in the buttercup family *Celandine poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum , in the poppy family …   Wikipedia

  • Celandine — Cel an*dine (s[e^]l [a^]n*d[imac]n), n. [OE. celidoine, OF. celidoine, F. ch[ e]lidoine, fr. L. chelidonia (sc. herba), fr. chelidonius pertaining to the swallow, Gr. chelido nios, fr. chelidw n the swallow, akin to L. hirundo a swallow.] (Bot.)… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • celandine — ► NOUN 1) (also lesser celandine) a common yellow flowered plant of the buttercup family. 2) (greater celandine) a yellow flowered plant of the poppy family, with toxic sap. ORIGIN from Greek khelid n swallow (the flowering of the plant being… …   English terms dictionary

  • celandine — or lesser celandine [sel′ən dīn΄, sel′əndēn΄, sel′əndin] n. [ME & OFr celidoine < ML celidonia < L chelidonia < Gr chelidonion, swallowwort < chelidōn, a swallow < IE echoic base * ghel > YELL] 1. a weedy plant (Chelidonium… …   English World dictionary

  • celandine — [ sɛləndʌɪn] noun 1》 (also lesser celandine) a common plant of the buttercup family, which produces yellow flowers in the early spring. [Ranunculus ficaria.] 2》 (greater celandine) a yellow flowered plant of the poppy family, with toxic sap.… …   English new terms dictionary

  • celandine — /ˈsɛləndaɪn/ (say seluhnduyn) noun 1. a plant, of Europe and western Asia, Chelidonium majus (greater celandine), family Papaveraceae, with yellow flowers in loose few flowered umbels; swallow wort. 2. a European buttercup, Ranunculus ficaria… …  

  • celandine — didžioji ugniažolė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Aguoninių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Chelidonium majus), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje, Europoje ir Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Chelidonium majus angl. celandine; great… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • celandine — n. either of two yellow flowered plants, the greater celandine, Chelidonium majus, and the lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria. Etymology: ME and OF celidoine ult. f. Gk khelidon swallow: the flowering of the plant was associated with the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • celandine — noun Etymology: Middle English celidoine, from Anglo French, from Latin chelidonia, from feminine of chelidonius of the swallow, from Greek chelidonios, from chelidon , chelidōn swallow Date: 12th century 1. a yellow flowered Eurasian biennial… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • celandine — noun a) Either of two unrelated flowering plants b) The greater celandine …   Wiktionary

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