Oleander

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
oleander
    n 1: an ornamental but poisonous flowering shrub having narrow
         evergreen leaves and clusters of fragrant white to pink or
         red flowers: native to East Indies but widely cultivated in
         warm regions [syn: {oleander}, {rose bay}, {Nerium
         oleander}]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Oleander \O`le*an"der\, n. [F. ol['e]andre (cf. It. oleandro,
   LL. lorandrum), prob. corrupted, under the influence of
   laurus laurel, fr. L. rhododendron, Gr. ?; ? rose + ? tree.]
   (Bot.)
   A beautiful evergreen shrub ({Nerium oleander}) of the
   Dogbane family, having clusters of fragrant red, white, or
   pink flowers. It is a native of the East Indies, but the red
   variety has become common in the south of Europe. Called also
   {rosebay}, {rose laurel}, and {South-sea rose}.
   [1913 Webster +PJC]

   Note: Every part of the plant is dangerously poisonous, and
         death has occured from using its wood for skewers in
         cooking meat.
         [1913 Webster]
antiflux / dictionary / Oleander
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