n. (Bot.) A widespread European weed (Picris echioides formerly Helminthia echioides) with spiny tongue-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. The name is applied to several plants, from the shape and roughness of their leaves; as, Anchusa officinalis, a kind of bugloss, and Helminthia echioides, both European herbs. It has been naturalized in the U. S.
Syn. -- bristly oxtongue, prickly oxtongue, bitterweed, bugloss. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]