gillenian.
/dʒᵻˈliːnɪə/, /ɡᵻˈliːnɪə/, U.S. /dʒəˈliniə/, /ɡəˈliniə/ Botany.
Either of two erect herbaceous perennial plants comprising the genus Gillenia (family Rosaceae), native to eastern North America and frequently cultivated as garden plants, having toothed, palmate leaves and pale pink or white flowers. †Also: the root of such a plant, or a preparation of it, which was formerly used medicinally (obsolete).Cf. Indian physic n. at Indian adj. and n. Compounds 1b(b).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > non-British medicinal plants > [noun] > Indian physic plant or root
Indian physic1734
Indian root1775
gillenia1820
1820 J. Bigelow Amer. Med. Bot. III. 17 Some authors have attributed a tonic power to the Gillenia, when administered in small doses.
1842 R. Dunglison Med. Lexicon (ed. 3) Gillenia Trifoliata,..common Gillenia, the root of this shrub..is a safe and efficacious emetic.
1873 Jrnl. Materia Medica Apr. 104 Gillenia has been recommended as useful in the treatment of amenorrhœa.
1917 J. P. Remington Pract. Pharmacy (ed. 6) 1872/1 Reduce the gillenia to a coarse powder.
1951 Dict. Gardening (Royal Hort. Soc.) II. 891/1 Gillenias are hardy, easily grown plants.
1986 Financial Times 16 Apr. 17 The delicate white flowered gillenia, an airy plant with the feel of a wild woodland.
2003 T. DiSabato-Aust Well-designed Mixed Garden 235 The gillenia can be left for the winter and cut back in the spring.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1820