samphire

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

samphire
    n 1: fleshy maritime plant having fleshy stems with rudimentary
         scalelike leaves and small spikes of minute flowers;
         formerly used in making glass [syn: {glasswort},
         {samphire}, {Salicornia europaea}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Samphire \Sam"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [F. l'herbe de Saint
   Pierre. See {Saint}, and {Petrel}.] (Bot.)
   (a) A fleshy, suffrutescent, umbelliferous European plant
       ({Crithmum maritimum}). It grows among rocks and on
       cliffs along the seacoast, and is used for pickles.
       [1913 Webster]

             Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
                                                  --Shak.
       [1913 Webster]
   (b) The species of glasswort ({Salicornia herbacea}); --
       called in England {marsh samphire}.
   (c) A seashore shrub ({Borrichia arborescens}) of the West
       Indies.
       [1913 Webster]

   {Golden samphire}. See under {Golden}.
      [1913 Webster]