american gentian

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

American gentian
    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}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

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]