What is "sonchus oleraceus"

Sow \Sow\, n. [OE. sowe, suwe, AS. sugu, akin to s[=u], D. zog, zeug, OHG. s[=u], G. sau, Icel. s[=y]r, Dan. so, Sw. sugga, so, L. sus. Gr. "y^s, sy^s, Zend. hu boar; probably from the root seen in Skr. s[=u] to beget, to bear; the animal being named in allusion to its fecundity. [root]294. Cf. Hyena, Soil to stain, Son, Swine.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) The female of swine, or of the hog kind.

2. (Zo["o]l.) A sow bug.

3. (Metal.)

   1. A channel or runner which receives the rows of molds in the pig bed.

   2. The bar of metal which remains in such a runner.

   3. A mass of solidified metal in a furnace hearth; a salamander.

4. (Mil.) A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place, sapping and mining the wall, or the like.
   --Craig.

   Sow bread. (Bot.) See Cyclamen.

   Sow bug, or Sowbug (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of terrestrial Isopoda belonging to Oniscus, Porcellio, and allied genera of the family Oniscid[ae]. They feed chiefly on decaying vegetable substances.

   Sow thistle [AS. sugepistel] (Bot.), a composite plant ( Sonchus oleraceus) said to be eaten by swine and some other animals.

Thistle \This"tle\, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill, Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.) Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those of the genera Cnicus, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name is often also applied to other prickly plants.

Blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus, so named because it was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of venomous creatures.

Bull thistle, Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large thistle of neglected pastures.

Canada thistle, Cnicus arvensis, a native of Europe, but introduced into the United States from Canada.

Cotton thistle, Onopordon Acanthium.

Fuller's thistle, the teasel.

Globe thistle, Melon thistle, etc. See under Globe, Melon, etc.

Pine thistle, Atractylis gummifera, a native of the Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the involucre.

Scotch thistle, either the cotton thistle, or the musk thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national emblems of Scotland.

Sow thistle, Sonchus oleraceus.

Spear thistle. Same as Bull thistle.

Star thistle, a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea.

Torch thistle, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus Cereus. See Cereus.

Yellow thistle, Cincus horridulus.

Thistle bird (Zo["o]l.), the American goldfinch, or yellow-bird ( Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under Goldfinch.

Thistle butterfly (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely colored American butterfly ( Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady.

Thistle cock (Zo["o]l.), the corn bunting ( Emberiza militaria). [Prov. Eng.]

Thistle crown, a gold coin of England of the reign of James I., worth four shillings.

Thistle finch (Zo["o]l.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]

Thistle funnel, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring mouth.

Sonchus oleraceus, with many common names including common sowthistle, sow thistle, smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's colwort, hare's thistle, milky tassel, milk thistle, soft thistle, or swinies, is a plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family.

Sonchus oleraceus is native to Europe and western Asia.

The Latin name Sonchus refers to the hollow stem, while oleraceus refers to its good taste. The common name sow thistle refers to its attractiveness to swine, and the similarity of the leaf to younger thistle plants. The common name hare's thistle refers to its purported beneficial effects on hare and rabbits.