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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Phytolacca

Phytolacca \Phy`to*lac"ca\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? plant + It. lacca lac.] (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants, some of them having berries which abound in intensely red juice; poke, or pokeweed.

Wiktionary
phytolacca

n. (context botany English) Any of the genus ''Phytolacca'' of herbaceous plants; the poke or pokeweed.

Wikipedia
Phytolacca

Phytolacca is a genus of perennial plants native to North America, South America, East Asia and New Zealand. Some members of the genus are known as pokeweeds or similar names such as pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot or poke sallet. Other names for species of Phytolacca include inkberry and ombú. The generic name is derived from the Greek word (phyton), meaning "plant," and the Latin word lacca, a red dye. Phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin are present in many species which are poisonous to mammals if not cooked properly. However, the berries are eaten by birds, which are not affected by the toxin because the small seeds with very hard outer shells remain intact in the digestive system and are eliminated whole.

The genus comprises about 25 to 35 species of perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees growing from tall. They have alternate simple leaves, pointed at the end, with entire or crinkled margins; the leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen. The stems are green, pink or red. The flowers are greenish-white to pink, produced in long racemes at the ends of the stems. They develop into globose berries 4–12 mm diameter, green at first, ripening dark purple to black.