Euphorbia pulcherrima n 1: tropical American plant having poisonous milk and showy tapering usually scarlet petallike leaves surrounding small yellow flowers [syn: {poinsettia}, {Christmas star}, {Christmas flower}, {lobster plant}, {Mexican flameleaf}, {painted leaf}, {Euphorbia pulcherrima}]
Poinsettia \Poin*set"ti*a\ (poin*s[e^]t"t[i^]*[.a]), n. [NL. Named after Joel R. Poinsett of South Carolina.] (Bot.) A Mexican shrub ({Euphorbia pulcherrima}) with very large and conspicuous vermilion bracts below the yellowish flowers. [1913 Webster]