barrenwort
noun
plural -s
: any of certain plants of the genus Epimedium having or believed to have sudorific properties: such as
a
: a European herb (E. alpinum) often cultivated and having bitter leaves
b
: a Japanese herb (E. diphyllum) with small bluish flowers
c
: an herb (E. hexandra) of the Pacific coast of North America having ternate leaves and small nodding flowers on a scapelike stalk
Word History
Etymology
so called from the belief that it causes sterility