spearwort

English

lesser spearwort, Ranunculus flammula

Etymology

From Middle English sperwort, sperewort, from Old English sperewyrt, i.e. spear +‎ wort.

Noun

spearwort (countable and uncountable, plural spearworts)

1. Any of various perennial herbaceous plants in the Ranunculus (buttercup) genus.
   • 1757, John Dyer, “Book I”, in The Fleece: A Poem […] ‎^[1], London: R. and J. Dodsley, page 40:

     Nor taint-worm ſhall infect the yeaning herds / Nor penny-graſs, nor ſpearwort's poiſ'nous leaf.

Derived terms

• adder's-tongue spearwort (Ranunculus ophioglossifolius)
• creeping spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)
• greater spearwort, great spearwort (Ranunculus lingua)
• lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)
• low spearwort (Ranunculus pusillus)
• water spearwort (Ranunculus lingua)
• water-plantain spearwort (Ranunculus ambigens)

References

• spearwort on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Ranunculus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Ranunculus on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• sportwear