Acanthus

a genus of herbaceous shrubs, order Acanthacew, mostly tropical, two species of which, A. moll is and A. spinosus (the bear’s-breech or brankursine), are characterized by large white flowers and et indented shining leaves. They are favorite ornamental plants in gardens.—In architecture the name is given to a kind of foliage decoration said to have been ‘suggested by this plant, growing erourd a basket, and much employed in Roman and later styles.