‖ Phytolacca Bot.
(faɪtəʊ-, fɪtəʊˈlækə)
[mod.L. (Tournefort 1700), f. Gr. ϕυτόν plant + mod.L. lacca crimson lake.]
The genus of plants including the Pocan, Virginian Poke, Pokeweed, or Red-ink plant (P. decandra), and several other tropical or sub-tropical species, chiefly American; also various preparations of the Poke used medicinally. Hence phytolaccin (-ˈlæksɪn) Chem., a neutral crystalline compound obtained from the Virginian Poke.
| 1753 Scots Mag. June 283/2 Give purges..with the phytolacca decoction. 1882 Garden 18 Mar. 179/3 Several other Phytolaccas are widely distributed throughout the Tropics. 1864 N. Syd. Soc. Year-bk. Med. 441 The dose of the concentrated preparation (phytolaccin). |