The Collaborative International Dictionary
Orris \Or"ris\, n. [Prob. corrupted from It. ireos iris. See Iris.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Iris ( Iris Florentina); a kind of flower-de-luce. Its rootstock has an odor resembling that of violets.
Orris pea (Med.), an issue pea made from orris root.
Orris root, the fragrant rootstock of the orris.
Wikipedia
Orris root (rhizoma iridis) is a term used for the roots Iris germanica and Iris pallida.
Usage examples of "orris root".
The odorous constituent of oil of Orris is a liquid ketone named Irone, to which the violet-like odour is due (though it is not absolutely identical with oil of Violets obtained from the natural flower), and it is the presence of this principle in the rhizome that has long led to the employment of powdered Orris root in the preparation of Violet powders, which owe very little of their scent to the real Violet perfume.
He turned more wooden under the spell of the orris root and violet.
She shook her head, her face pressed to his shoulder, the smells of orris root and velvet and spermaceti oil filling her nose.
Stencil thought of Mondaugen's story, The Crew at Foppl's, saw here the same leprous pointillism of orris root, weak jaws and bloodshot eyes, tongues and backs of teeth stained purple by this morning's homemade wine, lipstick which it seemed could be peeled off intact, tossed to the earth to join a trail of similar jetsam - the disembodied smiles or pouts which might serve, perhaps, as spoor for next generation's Crew .
Camomile for stomach ailment, orris root on a pillow to make a gift dream of a man to marry.
I got the coriander and orris root and the rest, but I have to dry some sage first, it's no good without that.