xanthium

WORDNET DICTIONARY

xanthium(n = noun.plant) genus xanthium - coarse herbs having small heads of greenish flowers followed by burrs with hooked bristles;

is a kind of asterid dicot genus

is a member of aster family, asteraceae, compositae, family asteraceae, family compositae

xanthium, n. [NL., fr. Gr. xa`nqion a plant used for dyeing the hair yellow, said to be the Xanthium strumarium, from xanqo`s yellow.].

A genus of composite plants in which the scales of the involucre are united so as to form a kind of bur; cocklebur; clotbur. [1913 Webster]