celandine

1. A perennial Eurasian herb (Chelidonium majus) having deeply divided leaves, showy yellow flowers, and yellow-orange latex. Also called swallowwort.
2. The lesser celandine.

[Middle English celidoine, from Old French, from Medieval Latin celidōnia, from Latin chelīdonia, feminine of chelīdonium, from Greek khelīdonion, from khelīdōn, swallow (from the association by ancient writers of the blossoming of the plant with the return of the swallows in spring).]

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: North American annual plant with usually yellow or orange flowers; grows chiefly on wet rather acid soil
  Synonyms: jewelweed, lady's earrings, orange balsam, touch-me-not, Impatiens capensis

Meaning #2: perennial herb with branched woody stock and bright yellow flowers
  Synonyms: greater celandine, swallowwort, swallow wort, Chelidonium majus

Celandine is a common name for three species of flowers:

• Greater celandine, Chelidonium majus, in the poppy family
• Lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria, in the buttercup family
• Celandine-poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum, in the poppy family

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