What is "paris quadrifolia"

Herb \Herb\ ([~e]rb or h[~e]rb; 277), n. [OE. herbe, erbe, OF. herbe, erbe, F. herbe, L. herba; perh. akin to Gr. forbh` food, pasture, fe`rbein to feed.]

1. A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering.

   Note: Annual herbs live but one season; biennial herbs flower the second season, and then die; perennial herbs produce new stems year after year.

2. Grass; herbage.

   And flocks Grazing the tender herb.
   --Milton.

   Herb bennet. (Bot.) See Bennet.

   Herb Christopher (Bot.), an herb ( Act[ae]a spicata), whose root is used in nervous diseases; the baneberry. The name is occasionally given to other plants, as the royal fern, the wood betony, etc.

   Herb Gerard (Bot.), the goutweed; -- so called in honor of St. Gerard, who used to be invoked against the gout.
   --Dr. Prior.

   Herb grace, or Herb of grace. (Bot.) See Rue.

   Herb Margaret (Bot.), the daisy. See Marguerite.

   Herb Paris (Bot.), an Old World plant related to the trillium ( Paris quadrifolia), commonly reputed poisonous.

   Herb Robert (Bot.), a species of Geranium ( Geranium Robertianum.)

leopard's bane \leop"ard's bane`\ (l[e^]p"[~e]rdz b[=a]n`) n. (Bot.) A name of several harmless plants, as Arnica montana ( Arnica acaulis syn. Doronicum acaule), Senecio Doronicum, and Paris quadrifolia.

Syn: leopardbane, leopard's-bane.

Paris \Par"is\, n. [From Paris, the son of Priam.] (Bot.) A plant common in Europe ( Paris quadrifolia); herb Paris; truelove. It has been used as a narcotic.

Note: It much resembles the American genus Trillium, but has usually four leaves and a tetramerous flower.

Paris quadrifolia, the herb-paris or true lover's knot, is a Eurasian species of flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae, although authorities formerly regarded it as part of the Liliaceae family. It is related to Trillium, with which it can be confused. Trillium, however, is generally 3-merous (3 leaves per whorl, 3 petals etc.), whereas Paris quadrifolia is 4-merous.