asclepias

noun

as·​cle·​pi·​as ə-ˈsklē-pē-əs, a- How to pronounce asclepias (audio)
1
capitalized : a genus (family Asclepiadaceae) of perennial herbs found chiefly in North America with flowers having a corona of five concave hoods each of which bears a slender horn see butterfly weed, milkweed
2
: any plant of the genus Asclepias
3
: the dried root of the butterfly weed formerly used as a diaphoretic and expectorant

called also pleurisy root

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Cite this Entry

“Asclepias.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/asclepias. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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