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Glite Dictionary
mayapple

mayapple

1 9.9
A North American plant with umbrella leaves and a yellow edible fruit but roots and other parts are poisonous
  • noun
  • /ˈmeɪˌæpəl/
  • US
: manzana de mayo
  • Although the mayapple fruit is edible when ripe, other parts of the plant are poisonous.

Examples

  • In May, the vibrant yellow fruit of the mayapple appears beneath its large umbrella-like leaves.

  • The mayapple blooms early in the spring, covering the forest floor with its distinctive umbrella-shaped leaves.

  • We spotted several mayapple plants along the woodland trail during our hike.

  • The mayapple grows in shady areas of the forest.

  • I spotted a mayapple while hiking last weekend.

  • Only the tender pulp of the mayapple is edible; the rest, including the seeds, is poisonous.

  • The mayapple thrives in wooded areas, with its distinctive leaves providing shade for the forest floor.

Synonyms

Podophyllum
vsmayapple
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A plant that lives for many years with large umbrella-shaped leaves used in medicine

is the specific North American species within that broader group
May apple
vsmayapple
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A North American plant with large umbrella leaves, a poisonous root, and an edible yellow fruit

is written as a single word in modern usage
Podophyllum peltatum
vsmayapple
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A low North American woodland plant with poisonous roots and fruit you can eat but that tastes bland

is the common one-word name rather than the scientific name
wild mandrake
vsmayapple
  • US
9.9

A North American plant with a poisonous root and a mild edible fruit

is the more widely used name and notes yellowish fruit

Surface Forms

mayapple singular
mayapples plural

Morphology

mayapple = May + apple (semi-transparent) = may + apple

The components 'May' and 'apple' are clear, but the compound names a specific plant and fruit-like body rather than a literal apple in May, so learners may not derive the exact botanical meaning.

Etymology

Mayapple joins May 'the month when it flowers' and apple 'because its yellow fruit looks like a small apple', so the name points to the time it blooms and its apple-like fruit.