comfrey

comfrey
/kum"free/, n., pl. comfreys.
any coarse Eurasian plant belonging to the genus Symphytum, of the borage family, as the widely cultivated S. officinale, having hairy, lance-shaped leaves and drooping clusters of small, white, rose-colored, or purplish flowers.
[1275-1325; ME cumfirie, conferye < AF cumfirie, OF confire < ML *confervia for L conferva CONFERVA]

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Any herb of the Eurasian genus Symphytum (borage family).

Best known is the medicinal common comfrey (S. officinale), used to treat wounds and as a source of a gum used to treat wool. Traditionally it was also taken internally for various complaints. Organic farmers use it to deter slugs and as a green manure. The coiled sprays of bell-like, hanging comfrey blooms are usually pollinated by bees. Common comfrey is about 3 ft (90 cm) tall, with winged, hairy stems and blue, purplish, or yellow flowers.

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plant
      any herb plant of the Eurasian genus Symphytum, of the family Boraginaceae, especially the medicinal common comfrey (S. officinale), used to treat wounds and a source of a gum for treatment of wool. The coiled sprays of comfrey blooms, which are bell-like, deeply parted, five-lobed, and hanging, are usually pollinated by bees.

      Comfrey fruits are four oval nutlets. Common comfrey is about 90 centimetres (3 feet) tall, with winged, hairy stems and blue, purplish, or yellow flowers.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Comfrey — Com frey, n. [Prob. from F. conferve, L. conferva, fr. confervere to boil together, in medical language, to heal, grow together. So called on account of its healing power, for which reason it was also called consolida.] (Bot.) A rough, hairy,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comfrey — Comfrey, MN U.S. city in Minnesota Population (2000): 367 Housing Units (2000): 171 Land area (2000): 0.420939 sq. miles (1.090226 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.420939 sq. miles (1.090226 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Comfrey, MN — U.S. city in Minnesota Population (2000): 367 Housing Units (2000): 171 Land area (2000): 0.420939 sq. miles (1.090226 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.420939 sq. miles (1.090226 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • comfrey — [kum′frē] n. pl. comfreys [ME & OFr confirie < VL * confervia, comfrey, for L conferva, a water plant < confervere, to heal, grow together, orig., to seethe, boil together < com , with + fervere, to boil (see FERVENT): from use in… …   English World dictionary

  • Comfrey — (engl., spr. kómmfrì), s. Symphytum …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Comfrey — Comfrey, Futtergewächs, s. Symphytum …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • comfrey — ► NOUN (pl. comfreys) ▪ a plant with large hairy leaves and clusters of purplish or white bell shaped flowers. ORIGIN Old French cumfirie, from Latin confervere heal (referring to the plant s medicinal use) …   English terms dictionary

  • Comfrey — For the place, see Comfrey, Minnesota. Russian comfrey Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Comfrey — Beinwell Echter Beinwell (Symphytum officinale) Systematik Abteilung: Bedecktsamer (Magnoliophyta) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • comfrey — vaistinė taukė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Agurklinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, dervinis, gleivinis, pašarinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Symphytum officinale), paplitęs Europoje ir vakarų Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Symphytum officinale… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

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