columbo n 1: any of various tall perennial herbs constituting the genus Frasera; widely distributed in warm dry upland areas of California, Oregon, and Washington [syn: {columbo}, {American columbo}, {deer's-ear}, {deer's-ears}, {pyramid plant}, {American gentian}]
Columbo \Co*lum"bo\, n. (Med.) See {Calumba}. [1913 Webster]
Calumba \Ca*lum"ba\, n. [from kalumb, its native name in Mozambique.] (Med.) The root of a plant ({Jateorrhiza Calumba}, and probably {Cocculus palmatus}), indigenous in Mozambique. It has an unpleasantly bitter taste, and is used as a tonic and antiseptic. [Written also {colombo}, {columbo}, and {calombo}.] [1913 Webster] {American calumba}, the {Frasera Carolinensis}, also called {American gentian}. Its root has been used in medicine as bitter tonic in place of calumba. [1913 Webster]