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Glite Dictionary
cynancum

cynancum

9.9
A climbing tropical plant from Africa and Madagascar with greenish or purple flowers and long smooth pods
  • noun
  • Specialized
: cynancum
  • The roots of cynancum were once used as an emetic in traditional medicine.

Examples

  • The climbing stems of cynancum make it a notable feature in tropical landscapes.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of cynancum flowers.

  • Botanists discovered a new species of cynancum in the forests of Madagascar.

  • The cynancum plant thrives in tropical climates.

  • Botanists discovered a new species of cynancum in the forests of Madagascar.

  • The climbing stems of cynancum make it a notable feature in tropical landscapes.

  • The roots of cynancum were once used as an emetic in traditional medicine.

Synonyms

Cynanchum
vscynancum
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of tropical African climbing plants like woody vines

is a narrower genus including Madagascar, distinctive flowers, pods, and emetic roots

Surface Forms

cynancum singular
cynanca plural

Etymology

Cynancum comes from old Greek parts cyn- meaning 'dog' and -anchum meaning 'to strangle', because people once thought some of these climbing plants could poison or choke dogs. That's why the name fits a tropical, climbing plant whose roots were even used in old medicine to 'make people vomit'.