What is "mentha pulegium"

Pennyroyal \Pen`ny*roy"al\, n. [A corruption of OE. puliall royal. OE. puliall is ultimately derived fr. L. puleium, or pulegium regium (so called as being good against fleas), fr. pulex a flea; and royal is a translation of L. regium, in puleium regium.] (Bot.) An aromatic herb ( Mentha Pulegium) of Europe; also, a North American plant ( Hedeoma pulegioides) resembling it in flavor.

Bastard pennyroyal (Bot.) See Blue curls, under Blue.

Pudding \Pud"ding\, n. [Cf. F. boudin black pudding, sausage, L. botulus, botellus, a sausage, G. & Sw. pudding pudding, Dan. podding, pudding, LG. puddig thick, stumpy, W. poten, potten, also E. pod, pout, v.]

1. A species of food of a soft or moderately hard consistence, variously made, but often a compound of flour or meal, with milk and eggs, etc.

   And solid pudding against empty praise.
   --Pope.

2. Anything resembling, or of the softness and consistency of, pudding.

3. An intestine; especially, an intestine stuffed with meat, etc.; a sausage.
   --Shak.

4. Any food or victuals.

   Eat your pudding, slave, and hold your tongue.
   --Prior.

5. (Naut.) Same as Puddening. Pudding grass (Bot.), the true pennyroyal ( Mentha Pulegium), formerly used to flavor stuffing for roast meat. --Dr. Prior. Pudding pie, a pudding with meat baked in it. --Taylor (1630). Pudding pipe (Bot.), the long, cylindrical pod of the leguminous tree Cassia Fistula. The seeds are separately imbedded in a sweetish pulp. See Cassia. Pudding sleeve, a full sleeve like that of the English clerical gown. --Swift. Pudding stone. (Min.) See Conglomerate, n., 2. Pudding time.

   1. The time of dinner, pudding being formerly the dish first eaten. [Obs.]
      --Johnson.

   2. The nick of time; critical time. [Obs.]

      Mars, that still protects the stout, In pudding time came to his aid.
      --Hudibras.

Mentha pulegium, commonly (European) pennyroyal, also called squaw mint, mosquito plant and pudding grass, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Crushed pennyroyal leaves exhibit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint. Pennyroyal is a traditional culinary herb, folk remedy, and abortifacient. The essential oil of pennyroyal is used in aromatherapy, and is also high in pulegone, a highly toxic volatile organic compound affecting liver and uterine function.