‖ persicaria Herb.
(pɜːsɪˈkɛərɪə)
[med. or mod.L. (also It.), f. L. persicum (mālum) peach: cf. med.L. persicārius peach-tree, and peachwort.]
The plant Polygonum Persicaria, Dead Arsesmart, or Peachwort; also, with defining words, applied to other species of Polygonum; the garden species is P. orientale.
| 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. cix. 361 Dead Arsmart is called Persicaria, or Peach-woort, of the likenesse that the leaues haue with those of the Peach tree. 1663 Boyle Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos. ii. ii. 79 A Load of Persicaria or Arsmart, brought to him by some of the Country People. 1824 Miss Mitford Village Ser. i. (1863) 101 Buck-wheat,..the delicate pink-white of the flower, a paler persicaria. 1883 Good Words 710 Orach and fleabane, the yellow toadflax and pink persicaria. |